Bane of the Sith: A Most-Kindly Retort

Thought I'd throw in my thoughts on the this Karpyshyn talk we've had, because this author is one of two really noticeable enigmas that I've kept my eyes on; the other being Orson Scott Card.

Karpyshyn's impact on my life, and I can only assume on Buch's as well, is indisputable and, possibly, unmatchable. As the lead writer for two of Bioware's most renowned products, Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect, I assume he was responsible for the genesis of both Darth Revan and Commander Shepard. Both of these characters, as ambiguous as they might be, are most certainly two rather big inspirations to my writing. Therefore, it's so damn hard for me to reconcile those senses of wonder, horror, amazement, fear, anxiety that I felt through playing these games with what I read in books like Star Wars colon Darth Bane colon Path of Destruction.

He's obviously a talented writer, and deserved every inch of success his games have received, but I have no idea how he could go from writing KOTOR to The Marvelous Misadventures of Darth Bane. I realize this is the title of our fanfic, but come on, that's what I was thinking the entire time I read it.

I hated the fact that the majority of the story takes place in a SUPER SITH ACADEMY, yet, we learn almost nothing about the Sith, besides the fact that they're real pricks of Malfoy-like proportions.

I mean, come on (again!), Darth Bane was supposed to be a major influence on the likes of awesome Sith Lords like Darth Sideous and Darth Vader, because I haven't read an EU book in that time period where Bane isn't mentioned. But Bane is the worst goddamn Sith I've ever read about. Not to say the book completely sucked or anything, but Bane himself is just a shitty kind of Sith. I've yet to see him win a lightsaber duel. The last one I saw, he was fighting with his old weaponsmaster, and Bane very nearly lost, but managed to use the Force to collapse a temple on the poor man's head.

Sure, this can be justified: the Sith are just a bunch of cheaters, anyway. They must win by any means possible. But that doesn't mean you have to be a bitch about it. If you can't win a lightsaber duel with an old master, then what right do you think you have becoming the Sith Master?

Much sense, this does not make.

To wrap this up here before I make my way down to a rant about airline food, Karpyshyn needs to start taking his novel career seriously, or not do it at all. I'm tired of reading his introductions in which he pretty much apologizes for any mistakes therein, since he's burdened with so many deadlines. I have no doubt this is seriously the case, but there's gotta be a time when he can take a step back and seriously crank out an original novel of his own.

It's only because I worry.