by Nathan Stout (of AccordingToWhim.com)
It is time to jump back to the Robotech novels in my 2012 Robotech 'experience'. I read Chapters 0-2 back in January then moved away to continue all the 'pre crash on Earth' storyline. Now we are back up to date and start out with Chapter 3 on launch day of the SDF-1.
Like I said before, the Robotech novels took a 'realsitic' approach to the cartoon. James Luceno and Brian Daley took their combined experience (in Daley's previous writings and Luceno's real world Vietnam experience) and attempted to put Robotech into the 'real world'. This was quite the task since there is a lot of very unrealistic action in the cartoon. Luckily the concept of Protoculture (the mysterious fuel behind Robotechnology) provides an easy 'out' in explaining away many situations. You are going to read alot of that coming from me so be prepared for the gripes.
I do appreciate their efforts. I'm glad this isn't just a straight 'port' from the show. I'm glad they did their best to fit what happens into real physics (as close as they can). They only use the 'unknown element' when they can't explain away the biggest plot holes and anti-physics.
I remember reading this book back in the early nineties in the midst of my discovery of Robotech and being so impressed with how closely it followed the show and then being someone disturbed when the writers varied off of the shows dialogue. Infact, when rereading this now I still know exactly which lines are on the show and which were added by the writers.
Robotech Genesis chapter 3 on starts out with the launch day activities of the crew of the SDF-1 and Rick Hunter as he shows up for the ceremony. The book follows the show VERY closely. This includes the dialogue but the writers also give us slight alterations and additions but only when they are really needed. The first episode of the series is really played out and takes up chapters 3 - 11 (the majority of the first book). Daley and Luceno really needed to do their best in setting up the series of books and taking shortcuts wouldn't do for this pivotal part of the tale.
In several instances during these chapters that involve the first episode there are issues that arise from real life versus cartoon physics. When Rick brings Minmei into the cockpit of the Veritech he is flying the book explains away the ability of Rick, doing a free fall in a jet and being able to open the cockpit canopy and not have it ripped off as a strange ability of Robotechnology. When Macross Island is taken into deep space the ocean that is taken with it freezes over (as one might think it would happen). I guess water was boil away in the vacuum of space so the writers once again rely on the strange trappings of Robotechnology to explain it away. Before Rick is let in on the fuel known as Protoculture the writers continually refer to the somewhat mystical and unexplainable substance that can do these incredible things as Robotechnology.
The witers also deal with the strangeness that is Japanese storytelling through usage of character thought and backstory. On the bridge of the SDF-1 the behaviour of all involved is rather odd and informal for being a military command. The writers use Captian Gloval's, Lisa's and Claudia's thoughts and reflections to explain away the bridge crews sometimes unmilitaristic nature.
I know all this is nitpicking but as I have said time and again, I am going to do it because it is fun... so deal with it!
The additions to the original material I noticed in this first chunk of book (not including the first 3 chapters) are the inclusion of Rick's examination of the Veritech's helmet which helps explain the human-interface with the mecha which were never explained in the original animation. In the show they are just robots, they never had that complex explanation of how these machines could move so human-like and do things so human-like. The little additions to the books about the ability of Protoculture to make men and machines interact so seamlessly was added later and is a great device and gave it all more depth. The explanation behind soda machine that follows Jason around trying to sell that damn Petite Cola was added to as well. Roy explains that the alien technology effects all electrical systems and does 'strange things' to normal items (like the soda machine).
Showing posts with label james luceno. Show all posts
Showing posts with label james luceno. Show all posts
Monday, May 21, 2012
Friday, January 13, 2012
Book 1: Robotech Genesis - Prologue Through Chapter 2
by Nathan Stout (of AccordingToWhim.com)
This is the first part of the first Robotech book: Genesis. The Robotech books were the first detailed glimpse into the Robotech universe for me and my friends. The book series took 6 episodes and detailed what happened on screen and created all the bits in between. Sometimes the writers would explain away errors in animation or character's dialogue and sometimes they would expand on what was shown or said.
I pickup my dog-eared, yellowing copy of the first book and look it over. I have had this book for many years and have read them at least 3 times. The front and back covers are cracked and there are large pieces missing where it ripped and the brittle cover came off in places. I refuse to get new ones... at least newer editions. These original editions have the old school art on the front. I always thought the art was crappy and cool at the same time. It gave a 'real' look to the characters and mecha but at the same time they looked badly drawn and sometimes they were scaled all wrong. The artist must have never actually seen the show. I have a Book Club edition of the Red Dwarf novels and it is obvious that the artist never saw the show (or even a picture from the show). Lister is a white guy, Rimmer looks like a farm hand, and The Cat is... literally a cat (in a suit). I love that cover. It's so quirky. That's one of the reasons I like the Robotech covers, they are quirky and they have art that appears nowhere else.
The author of the book series was Jack McKinney. This was a pseudonym for James Luceno and Brian Daley. In an interview from Protoculture addicts they would watch an episode, take notes and then expand on what they saw to bridge the scenes or give greater detail to what happens. In my opinion they did a great job and really grounding Robotech in a more realistic world with their writing. You may know Brian Daley from some Star wars books as well the novelization of TRON. You may know James Luceno from novelization of The Shadow and a few Star Wars books as well.
This first part which covers chapter 1 was written far in advance of the rest of this blog. I wanted to read the parts about Zor while I was still in the middle of reading the comics which dealt with him and his death.
Prologue:
This chapter re-enacts for a third time (but this was the 2nd time, at the time) the death of Zor and the launching of the SDF-1. I always found it strange that Dolza would react so threateningly to Zor (he says if he wasn't under orders to protect Zor he would kill him). I always got from the material that the Zentraedi were clones with the imperative to always follow their Tirolian creators submissively. I guess that means the Masters only but I just though it was strange.
The book suggests that the SDF-1 was Zor's creation whereas in The Legend of Zor comic the Master created the ship and sent Zor out in it (to get rid of him until they needed him). It makes more sense that it was a ship designed by Zor.
Zor is said to have somehow located Earth through his use of the power Flower of Life. In the Genesis: Legend of Zor comics he finds earth with a computer. This leads me to the Flower of Life. In the books and even to some extent in the show the Flower is shown to be not only a source of power but a mind stretching biological organism. It gives abilities to some (like Zor and Lang) and it effects others like a drug (Khyron and Rand). In the Legend of Zor comic it is shown to be simply a plant that can be converted into fuel with no illusion to it's other abilities. I assume that it has the ability to create power as well as alter one's mind in ways that give that person a sort of cosmic link to understanding. The Flower of Life.. super drug.
Chapters 1&2:
This and the next chapter deal with the landing and exploration of the SDF-1. The planet has quickly come together to explore and exploit the alien ship. Fokker and Edwards are there as well as Gloval (the future captain of the ship).
Not too much to say about these chapters. It was content originally created by Luceno and Dailey. I don't believe any of this (other than the general outline of an idea) was out there somewhere. I guess Harmony Gold went with the writing pair's idea on the events right after the crash of the ship.
This is the first part of the first Robotech book: Genesis. The Robotech books were the first detailed glimpse into the Robotech universe for me and my friends. The book series took 6 episodes and detailed what happened on screen and created all the bits in between. Sometimes the writers would explain away errors in animation or character's dialogue and sometimes they would expand on what was shown or said.
I pickup my dog-eared, yellowing copy of the first book and look it over. I have had this book for many years and have read them at least 3 times. The front and back covers are cracked and there are large pieces missing where it ripped and the brittle cover came off in places. I refuse to get new ones... at least newer editions. These original editions have the old school art on the front. I always thought the art was crappy and cool at the same time. It gave a 'real' look to the characters and mecha but at the same time they looked badly drawn and sometimes they were scaled all wrong. The artist must have never actually seen the show. I have a Book Club edition of the Red Dwarf novels and it is obvious that the artist never saw the show (or even a picture from the show). Lister is a white guy, Rimmer looks like a farm hand, and The Cat is... literally a cat (in a suit). I love that cover. It's so quirky. That's one of the reasons I like the Robotech covers, they are quirky and they have art that appears nowhere else.
The author of the book series was Jack McKinney. This was a pseudonym for James Luceno and Brian Daley. In an interview from Protoculture addicts they would watch an episode, take notes and then expand on what they saw to bridge the scenes or give greater detail to what happens. In my opinion they did a great job and really grounding Robotech in a more realistic world with their writing. You may know Brian Daley from some Star wars books as well the novelization of TRON. You may know James Luceno from novelization of The Shadow and a few Star Wars books as well.
This first part which covers chapter 1 was written far in advance of the rest of this blog. I wanted to read the parts about Zor while I was still in the middle of reading the comics which dealt with him and his death.
Prologue:
This chapter re-enacts for a third time (but this was the 2nd time, at the time) the death of Zor and the launching of the SDF-1. I always found it strange that Dolza would react so threateningly to Zor (he says if he wasn't under orders to protect Zor he would kill him). I always got from the material that the Zentraedi were clones with the imperative to always follow their Tirolian creators submissively. I guess that means the Masters only but I just though it was strange.
The book suggests that the SDF-1 was Zor's creation whereas in The Legend of Zor comic the Master created the ship and sent Zor out in it (to get rid of him until they needed him). It makes more sense that it was a ship designed by Zor.
Zor is said to have somehow located Earth through his use of the power Flower of Life. In the Genesis: Legend of Zor comics he finds earth with a computer. This leads me to the Flower of Life. In the books and even to some extent in the show the Flower is shown to be not only a source of power but a mind stretching biological organism. It gives abilities to some (like Zor and Lang) and it effects others like a drug (Khyron and Rand). In the Legend of Zor comic it is shown to be simply a plant that can be converted into fuel with no illusion to it's other abilities. I assume that it has the ability to create power as well as alter one's mind in ways that give that person a sort of cosmic link to understanding. The Flower of Life.. super drug.
Chapters 1&2:
This and the next chapter deal with the landing and exploration of the SDF-1. The planet has quickly come together to explore and exploit the alien ship. Fokker and Edwards are there as well as Gloval (the future captain of the ship).
Not too much to say about these chapters. It was content originally created by Luceno and Dailey. I don't believe any of this (other than the general outline of an idea) was out there somewhere. I guess Harmony Gold went with the writing pair's idea on the events right after the crash of the ship.
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