A Padawan's Journal Entry: Patterns & Shadows

Back in December of 2008 a Star Wars novel entitled (take a very deep breath) STAR WARS — CORUSCANT NIGHTS III — PATTERNS OF FORCE was released by Del Rey through its partnership with Lucasfilm Ltd.

What? You say that title vaguely resembles a mathematical formula and you don’t do mathematical formulas?

Let me translate: It’s a Star Wars novel from the CORUSCANT NIGHTS series by Michael Reaves and the title of this, the third book in the series, is (you guessed it) Patterns of Force. The series centers on the exploits of Jedi-in-hiding Jax Pavan and his android sidekick, I-5YQ — I-Five for short (Michael lives in LA, need I say more?). I-Five was also partner to Jax's daddy, Lorn Pavan, protagonist of the New York Times bestseller DARTH MAUL: SHADOW HUNTER (also by Michael Reaves).

PATTERNS OF FORCE represents my first writing foray into the Star Wars universe. The original paperback did not have my name on it (though you will see me mentioned in the acknowledgments and my name is on the Science Fiction Book Club Omnibus version), but Michael and I co-wrote the book, which was (big old fanfare) #16 on the New York Times Bestseller list in February of 2009.

My writing relationship with Michael is, ironically and appropriately, a Jedi Master / Padawan sort of thing. He’s the Obi-Wan Kenobi to my Luke Skywalker. After being introduced to each other by teleplay writer Marc Scott Zicree (with whom I collaborated on the MAGIC TIME series from Harper-Collins) Michael and I co-wrote the Del Rey original, Mr. Twilight (available from your favorite brick & board or online bookstore), and a Batman novel (Batman: Fear Itself). We decided we made a great team. So when he asked me to collaborate with him on PATTERNS, it was a no-brainer.

Working on PATTERNS OF FORCE was fun, exciting and rewarding. Not only are the characters engaging, the story compelling, and the rave reviews from the fans gratifying, but I began to get an inside and behind-the-scenes look at the process of working in this iconic universe that was very enlightening.

For example, those of you are STAR WARS fans likely know that lightsabers come in different colors because of the type of crystal that channels the power of their emissions. But did you know that Lucasfilm allows lightsabers of only particular colors? I did not know this. Neither did Michael until he tried to give his hero, Jax, an amber lightsaber. Lucasfilm responded by patiently explaining that Jedi of the Prequel Era only have green or blue lightsabers and Sith have red. Other colors are a no-no.

“Ah,” you say, “but I saw the movies. Mace Windu has a violet lightsaber.” Yes, he does. But Mace Windu also has a friend in the business: Samuel L. Jackson, whose favorite color for things that glow just happens to be ... aw, you guessed! When Samuel L. Jackson says, “I want a violet lightsaber,” apparently even George Lucas does not argue the point.

So Michael began work on a new Star Wars novel with a much less prodigious working title than the previous one: STAR WARS — HOLOSTAR. The fans knew about this novel before the ink was even dry on the contracts due to the fact that information apparently travels through online Star Wars fandom at a speed significantly faster than light.

FANDOM IS AWE INSPIRING!

The book was ultimately published as Shadow Games, and Michael and I swung right into a new project: the fourth book in the Coruscant Nights series with protagonists Jax Pavan and I-Five.

Until next time, feed your head—read a book! And may the Force be with you.

Visit Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff's bookshelf at Book View Cafe.