Pilgrim Stars - a quick review Warning may contain spoilers

[Saleem]

When I saw the post about the WC bookclub it really peaked my interest. I've been a long time skulker on the CIC, and WC has a special place in my heart as being the first game I ever finished. I even loved the movie for its re-imagining of the universe (though the acting from Freddie could have been better). The whole concept about Pilgrims was also rather intersting and I have been wanting to know more about them since the movie came out. So when I got the chance to read the book I jumped at it.

What can I say? What a disappointment, it begins great but then devolves into some sort of weak starwars rip off with Blair getting Jedi mind powers and starts chocking kilrathi in the seats of their fighters while he's on the capship. Its a real let down, having the Pilgrims posses highly attuned intuitive/instinctive powers, and having them being able to communicate with each other and their dead ancestors Is one thing, but giving them the power of the force is another and was not the way to go. I'm just glad I didnt spend good money on this when it was full price.

Details about who the Pilgrims actually are rather sketchy, and if your looking for more stuff on the peron massacre that killed Blairs parents, well all you get is a summary of roughly half a paragraph. You barely see any glimpses about pilgrim culture and what the author does give you make them out to be total whack jobs and a major storyline is not explored nor resolved.

What I did like is the way conclusions made by Tolwyn and the Kilrathi in this seem to be realistic and not pulled out of thin air like in some other books I've read. Combat scenes are interesting and not overly used, so there is less of it to become repetitive. Maniac is just AWESOME in this and really steals the limelight yet again (didnt think that was possible in printed matter) from the hero.

Just in case your wondering the story is great till they get to McDaniels World, then it just starts to feel rushed and lazy.

Just my two cents.

 

[AD]

Some of the issues about things not being resolved are possibly because this was supposed to be the middle novel in a WC movie trilogy (starting with the movie novelization). There's a summary of the unreleased book , Pilgrim Truth, here a the CIC.

 

[Mjr. Whoopass]

I'm about halfway through Pilgrim Stars. This is the last of the Wing Commander books that I have yet to read. My impression on it so far is pretty much the same as yours Saleem. I think the writer has a talent for making the combat scenes exciting, which is primarily what I enjoy about Wing Commander. I also like the strategy involved in each side's tactics. I think Forstchen may have been better in the strategy area (although I'm only halfway through Pilgrim Stars). I slightly prefer the action scenes I've read so far in the Pilgrim Stars books though.

What I wish the Pilgrim Stars author didn't do was spend so much time on the romantic relationships. He doesn't have the talent in this area and that's not what most people are reading Wing Commander books for. They just leave me with a dirty feeling. One character is having an affair on his wife and the only thing he feels bad about is that Tolwyn told him to stop. That's a good way to make you NOT like a character. Blair and Angel's relationship is reduced to some kind of loveless lusting after each other as objects. I was pouring into the book, hungry and eager to read the next chapter until the book started focusing heavily on that. It simply left me feeling drained and dirty for reading it. I plan on starting up again where I left off and skipping those parts.

As of Chapter 10, the Pilgrim ability to navigate jumps and talk to departed relatives is tolerable. He hasn't yet destroyed Kilrathi from the seat of his capship. I hope that was sarcasm, since I certainly don't want to read about that in the Wing Commander Universe. If you haven't read the other books Saleem, I encourage you to do so. It only gets better from here. I recommend the Forstchen books especially. I think End Run is the best followed closely by Fleet Action. If you want to go in chronological order though, I'd recommend starting with Action Stations which is a decent one too. I think the Mercedes Lackey book was the first one I read and I remember enjoying that one (but probably not as much as the Forschen books).

 

[Dyret]

He doesn't have the talent in this area... ...They just leave me with a dirty feeling.

That has more to do with your religion's view on sex than the author's aptitude for writing romantic relationships, though. You can't really blame that on him nor the book.

I haven't read the book myself, so for all I know you may be right about his lack of talent with regard to writing such matters, but it seems like an odd thing to claim based on the story's moral values, or lack thereof.

and that's not what most people are reading Wing Commander books for.

I disagree with this. When I read a story I need it to paint vivid, realitstic characters and let me get to know them and the various aspects of their lives, their feelings and such. It doesn't really matter if they share my values or not. If I just wanted a story about a guy flying around blowing up space-cats, I would have replayed one of the games.

I'm not saying every story needs tons of romance/sex scenes or anything, but I don't see any reason why it shouldn't be in a Wing Commander book if the author feels it is important for his characters or story.

He hasn't yet destroyed Kilrathi from the seat of his capship. I hope that was sarcasm, since I certainly don't want to read about that in the Wing Commander Universe.

Heh, yeah, I've always figured all the complaints I've read about the Pilgrims' 'jedi-powers' were instances of meritless nerd-rage, but if he really did that stuff in the book, that's a bit much.

 

[Saleem]

I hope that was sarcasm, since I certainly don't want to read about that in the Wing Commander Universe.

Sigh I wish it was