Re: Indy Novels - Best to Worst, And Why (Repost)

Posted by sas c|:) from attwwp.alcatel.at on May 11, 1999 at 03:35:58:

In Reply to: Indy Novels - Best to Worst, And Why (Repost) posted by Galacter on May 11, 1999 at 02:09:38:

Hi! I have read your list but I really can't agree with your rating. I really don't want to offend you in any way but some of your comment really sound ... well strange to me.

: : Hey Graml, sarcasm duely noted. NE wayz, thanks to the recent hubub about the books, I'm in the mood to write-up another ranking, though I was gonna' wait till after I'd read 'Seecret / Sphinx". I'll have to exclude that one for the time being, then post a review sometime later.

: : Here goes, on scales of 1 to 5, 5 being the highest, authors inititals following the subtitles...

: : Indiana Jones and the:

: : 7 Veils / RM - 5
: : Indy's best jungle adventure ever. A wild and unpredictable plot, excellent writing by MacGregor - the desript of the magic and the colors is awesome! Fast paced, and exhausting, like any Indy tale should be.

2-3. This book is slow and makes the reader drowsy. There is nothing of Indy's great visual action from the movies.

: : Dino's Eggs / MM - 5
: : McCoy outdid MacGregor on this one - almost! The plot is excellent and this remains as the most action packed novel so far. It is also, very suprsingly, much darker, scarier, and more violent than any of the others. It has the kind of distinct edge that TOD had, and Indy tales need to go there more often.

4. Dinosaur Eggs really has a lot from ToD.

: : Sky Pirates / MC - 5
: : A fantasitic change of pace from the usual Indy-style, this is the only Indy technological-oriented story that's likely to ever be any good at all! A really stylized mystery-adventure, superbly laced with nice ariel knowledge from leading areonautical world-expert Caidin. Gale Parker made for a fascinating potential mate for Indy next only to Diedre Campbell - too bad Martin didn't get to stick around for at least four books to play up on that.
: : This book also features the best cover by Struzan.

0. This is one of the two worst Indy novels. I can't believe any publisher wanted to print this one. UFOs! Airplanes. It has absolutly nothing to do with Indy. Change his name to Jack and no Indy fan will ever buy it.

: : Unicorn's Legacy / RM - 4
: : A great desert adventure enhanced by an uncertain female characterization in Mara Rogers and a wild villain, Roalnd Walcott.
: : Nicely structured, but an anit-climax keeps it from getting a perfect score.
: : Struzan's second-best cover.

3. Slow as all MacGregor novels. But "anti-climax" is the right word for his books.

: : Dance of the Giant's / RM - 4
: : Indy's best UK adventure, and the best use of Indy's MANY trips to Stonehenge. A little slow going and actionless at times, but RM's excellent writing keeps things fascinating.

2-3. I really wonder where you see that "excellent writing"...

: : The White Witch / MC - 4
: : The best use of strong-fantasy elements in any Indy story. Indy's trip into the forests of England is well versed in Mecca lore and Indy's tracing of anceint coins into the hands of the villains from MC's previous book is a well done mystery. I only wish the books had more space to focus on the villains, and their confrontations with our hero.

I was not able to force myself to read this one. But I will do so! One day.

: : The Interior World / RM - 3
: : Another strongly fantasy-oriented book. RM's magnificent writing keeps it from being too unbelievable, and it was good to keep Indy hopped up on the goofballs to explain the D&D trappings! I particularly liked how Marcus explained where Indy REALLY was at the end.

0. This is the second of the two worst novels! No plot, no sense, it's like Indy after a lobotomy. I thought about never reading a Indy novel again after this book.

: : The Philospher's Stone / MM - 3
: : An action packed, but not actually suspenseful, or even very interestingly plotted book. McCoy can do Indy's character fine, even better than Caidin, and MacGregor at times. But the climax of this book really sucked.

5. This is how an Indy novel should be: Plot, timing, action, adventure - everything mixed up in the right way.

: : Peril at Delphi / RM - 3
: : Nice characterizations, and a good deal of mystery, but ultimately a typical IJ-excercise with an anti-climax. Greek was a fresh choice for location, though.

2. Again an absolutly static plot, clumsy characters + the whole story as slow as the readers can go (without dropping the book).

: : Hollow Earth / MM - 2
: : Essentially a pale imitation of 'Interior World'. He was cool not be too contradictory with RM's novel, and though the first half is pretty good, the latter half is neither exciting or believable. The climax smacks of his better, previous novel.

4-5. Except some flaws this novel is also perfect.

: : Genesis Deluge / RM - 2
: : A true letdown. Indy's search for the other 'lost Ark' is extremely silly. A promising start and build up, and the Chicago sequences are fun, but uggghgh, the Mt. Ararat scenes moved way to fast and way too unbelievable. RM's only real falty step.

1-2. Same as the other MacGregor books.

: : Well, at least no one has written an Indy novel thast can only be desribed as awful (unhlike the numerous Star Wars books, where virtually ALL of them fit that description).

: : Till I'm done reading SoTS....

: : G!!!!

: : PS - My Current Readin List

: : ANYTHING by KW Jeter, especially his new novel, NOIR.

Have you read Blade Runner 2 and Blade Runner 3? These are *good* books.

: : This guy wrote the only SW books I could stomache, being the recent BOUNTY HUMTER WARS set.

sas c|:)

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Re: Indy Novels - Best to Worst, And Why (Repost) Galacter 03:07:28 5/12/99 (0)

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: Hi! I have read your list but I really can't agree with your rating. I really don't want to offend you in any way but some of your comment really sound ... well strange to me.

: 
: : : Hey Graml, sarcasm duely noted.  NE wayz, thanks to the recent hubub about the books, I'm in the mood to write-up another ranking, though I was gonna' wait till after I'd read 'Seecret / Sphinx".  I'll have to exclude that one for the time being, then post a review sometime later.

: : : Here goes, on scales of 1 to 5, 5 being the highest, authors inititals following the subtitles...

: : : Indiana Jones and the:

: : : 7 Veils / RM  - 5
: : : Indy's best jungle adventure ever.  A wild and unpredictable plot, excellent writing by MacGregor - the desript of the magic and the colors is awesome!  Fast paced, and exhausting, like any Indy tale should be.

: 2-3. This book is slow and makes the reader drowsy. There is nothing of Indy's great visual action from the movies.

: : : Dino's Eggs / MM - 5
: : : McCoy outdid MacGregor on this one - almost!  The plot is excellent and this remains as the most action packed novel so far.  It is also, very suprsingly, much darker, scarier, and more violent than any of the others.  It has the kind of distinct edge that TOD had, and Indy tales need to go there more often.

: 4. Dinosaur Eggs really has a lot from ToD.

: : : Sky Pirates / MC - 5
: : : A fantasitic change of pace from the usual Indy-style, this is the only Indy technological-oriented story that's likely to ever be any good at all!  A really stylized mystery-adventure, superbly laced with nice ariel knowledge from leading areonautical world-expert Caidin.  Gale Parker made for a fascinating potential mate for Indy next only to Diedre Campbell - too bad Martin didn't get to stick around for at least four books to play up on that.
: : : This book  also features the best cover by Struzan.

: 0. This is one of the two worst Indy novels. I can't believe any publisher wanted to print this one. UFOs! Airplanes. It has absolutly nothing to do with Indy. Change his name to Jack and no Indy fan will ever buy it.

: : : Unicorn's Legacy / RM - 4
: : : A great desert adventure enhanced by an uncertain female characterization in Mara Rogers and a wild villain, Roalnd Walcott.
: : : Nicely structured, but an anit-climax keeps it from getting a perfect score.
: : : Struzan's second-best cover.

: 3. Slow as all MacGregor novels. But "anti-climax" is the right word for his books.

: : : Dance of the Giant's / RM - 4
: : : Indy's best UK adventure, and the best use of Indy's MANY trips to Stonehenge.  A little slow going and actionless at times, but RM's excellent writing keeps things fascinating.

: 2-3. I really wonder where you see that "excellent writing"...

: : : The White Witch / MC - 4
: : : The best use of strong-fantasy elements in any Indy story.  Indy's trip into the forests of England is well versed in Mecca lore and Indy's tracing of anceint coins into the hands of the villains from MC's previous book is a well done mystery.  I only wish the books had more space to focus on the villains, and their confrontations with our hero.

: I was not able to force myself to read this one. But I will do so! One day.

: : : The Interior World / RM - 3
: : : Another strongly fantasy-oriented book.  RM's magnificent writing keeps it from being too unbelievable, and it was good to keep Indy hopped up on the goofballs to explain the D&D trappings!  I particularly liked how Marcus explained where Indy REALLY was at the end.

: 0. This is the second of the two worst novels! No plot, no sense, it's like Indy after a lobotomy. I thought about never reading a Indy novel again after this book.

: : : The Philospher's Stone / MM - 3
: : : An action packed, but not actually suspenseful, or even very interestingly plotted book.  McCoy can do Indy's character fine, even better than Caidin, and MacGregor at times.  But the climax of this book really sucked.

: 5. This is how an Indy novel should be: Plot, timing, action, adventure - everything mixed up in the right way.

: : : Peril at Delphi / RM - 3
: : : Nice characterizations, and a good deal of mystery, but ultimately a typical IJ-excercise with an anti-climax.  Greek was a fresh choice for location, though.

: 2. Again an absolutly static plot, clumsy characters + the whole story as slow as the readers can go (without dropping the book).

: : : Hollow Earth / MM - 2
: : : Essentially a pale imitation of 'Interior World'.  He was cool not be too contradictory with RM's novel, and though the first half is pretty good, the latter half is neither exciting or believable.  The climax smacks of his better, previous novel.

: 4-5. Except some flaws this novel is also perfect.

: : : Genesis Deluge / RM - 2
: : : A true letdown.  Indy's search for the other 'lost Ark' is extremely silly.  A promising start and build up, and the Chicago sequences are fun, but uggghgh, the Mt. Ararat scenes moved way to fast and way too unbelievable.  RM's only real falty step.

: 1-2. Same as the other MacGregor books.

: : : Well, at least no one has written an Indy novel thast can only be desribed as awful (unhlike the numerous Star Wars books, where virtually ALL of them fit that description).

: : : Till I'm done reading SoTS....

: : : G!!!!

: : : PS - My Current Readin List

: : : ANYTHING by KW Jeter, especially his new novel, NOIR.

: Have you read Blade Runner 2 and Blade Runner 3? These are *good* books.

: : : This guy wrote the only SW books I could stomache, being the recent BOUNTY HUMTER WARS set.

: sas c|:)

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