Ann Crispin Interview Page 3 of 3

STAR WARS VERSUS STAR TREK
ES:You've written several Star Trek novels, how does writing a Star Wars story compare in terms of preparation, research, atmosphere, characters, etc.?

AC: Writing Star Trek is both similar and different than writing Star Wars. Similar, in that you don't own the universe you're writing in, and don't have the copyright to your own work. Similar in that you have several more layers of approval to go through rather than just editorial and publisher approval. Similar in that you have to be conscientious about trying to write the characters in a recognizable fashion -- you can't just indulge yourself and have Mr. Spock making passionate love to Uhura on the bridge, no matter how titillating you might find that idea to be...<g> Just as you can't have Han up and decide to chuck it all and become a B'Morr monk!

     Both universes are also similar in that there is a wealth of accumulated canon and lore -- both universes are decades old, after all, and so much has been written by so many people about them. But they are very different, too.

     In the first place, Star Wars isn't really science fiction. <ducking> Hey, don't hit me! Neither Star Wars nor Star Trek has much science accuracy, but Star Trek comes a lot closer. Everyone who is familiar with the laws of physics knows that in our universe, you can't fly a spaceship in vacuum the same way you can a fighter jet. And the Force is far closer to magic than most of the esper powers we see aliens and other creatures possess in Star Trek. If I had to classify Star Trek, I'd call it science fiction -- but the science is pretty "rubber" science. The screenwriters and authors are constantly inserting complicated pseudo-scientific jargon to complicate the plot, solve problems, or explain things away. But there are references to known astronomical phenomena -- and somebody obviously checked to make sure those "novas" or "nebulas" bore some resemblance to what science has learned about those things.

     Star Wars, on the other hand, is pretty much fantasy with a few science fiction trappings. Which is fine! After all, the laws of physics may be very different "long ago in a galaxy far, far away." I didn't have to do nearly as much research to write Star Trek as I did Star Wars.

     That's because I grew up with Star Trek. I assimilated it through my pores, I think. <g> For a long time I read everything I could get my hands on about Star Trek. All the books, stories, articles, everything. And lots of fan fiction. When Star Wars: A New Hope was released, I was an adult, grown up, married, with a real job. I wasn't a kid anymore, and I didn't do the fannish-type things about SW. Sure I went to all the films multiple times, but that was the extent of it. I didn't read all the books, didn't get into gaming or writing fanzine stories or any of that. So I had to do lots and lots more research to take on the job of writing Han's early history.

     Actually, I compare the job to "reverse dominoes." You hit them backwards, and they fall backwards, knocking each other over in sequence. Each domino affects the one behind it. So when I started to write The Paradise Snare, I memorized and analyzed just about every line spoken by Han Solo in the three films. Why, for example, did he have such a negative attitude towards the Rebellion? And religion? What did he do to Lando that he was sure Lando had "forgotten all about that"? I have done similar things for Star Trek, but not to the extent I did in writing about Han.

     The atmosphere in a Star Wars book is different than Star Trek. Star Wars is more mystical, but also has more humor. It doesn't take itself quite so seriously. Star Trek sometimes is a bit heavy in conveying its "message." How many times have we listened to James T. Kirk or Jean-Luc Picard moralize during the climax of a Star Trek episode? Of course, Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi spouted philosophy and ethics, too, but not to the same extent. (They tended to repeat themselves a fair amount, though -- a trait shared by Emperor Palpatine! Must be something that tends to crop up in people who are powerful in the Force. <g>)

     The humor in Star Wars is one of the things I most enjoy writing. And Han and Chewbacca were two of the most humorous characters in the films, second only to the droids. Han needs a foil for his sardonic humor -- that's why, in Book 1, I created Muuurgh, the Togorian, with his fractured Basic. (Muuurgh may come back in Book 3, by the way. Haven't decided yet...) The characters in Star Trek are a lot more developed than Luke, Han, Leia, etc. That's natural, since they've had more screen time. The good thing about that is that Han, etc., leave more room to the novelist to develop.

On the Rodian...

ES:Much has been made about the changes to the Greedo scene in the Star Wars: Special Edition. After working on a Han Solo novel, how do you feel about the change?

AC:I found the revised Greedo scene confusing and unnecessary. And...silly. After all, it was obvious from Han's actions that he intended to blow Greedo away, whether Greedo shot first or not. And the idea that Greedo could miss after having the first shot -- at point-blank range! -- was unbelievable. Also, it wasn't that obvious what happened. I realized, because I was prepared for it, having read about the revision. Most people in the audience, I think, didn't even realize that Greedo had fired. They just went, "Huh? Was that changed?" I assure you that in my books, Han never puts himself in the position of playing sitting duck like that! If a bounty hunter gets off the first shot, it's because Han got ambushed!

ES:When you're finished with Han and his adventures, what's the next project you'll be tackling?

AC:I'll be turning my attention back to a project I had to put off to write "The Han Solo Trilogy." When the offer came through from Bantam, I had just signed a contract to do a big fantasy trilogy with Avon. My agent asked the editors at Avon whether I could have a year's extension on that project, because, after all, writing Star Wars would bring me new readers, and the editors there graciously agreed that I could delay Exiles of Boq'urain and do "Han Solo" first. I'm most grateful to them!

     The Exiles trilogy will consist of three novels about an original fantasy world I've created. The first book is titled Storms of Destiny, the second is Winds of Vengeance, and the third is Flames of Chaos. I'll be writing until the year 2000! I hope that readers who have enjoyed my Star Wars novels will also check out my original science fiction and fantasy. My StarBridge series (Ace) features lots of alien contact, and character oriented stories. I think most SW readers would like them.

ES:The number of Star Wars novels continues to grow and grow every year, do you as an author feel this might dilute the "magic" of the Star Wars universe, perhaps lessening the emotions we feel for the characters by revealing more and more about them?

AC:To quote Yoda..."Difficult to say." Usually, when I like a universe, I'm happy to explore it, finding out everything I can. I tend to think that Star Wars will be like that. And, of course in another year or so (or so they keep saying!) we'll have a whole new time-period and set of characters to explore. I think it'll be natural at that point for the focus of Star Wars to shift -away- from Han, Luke and Leia, and to the new characters. That's what happened, to a large extent, with Star Trek. But I think most fans of the original universe will still be interested in their adventures. I sure will!

(Jeff Carter is ECHO STATION's resident Bounty Hunter/Interviewer, so if you have any professional association with any aspect of Star Wars, no matter how obscure, expect a call, card or Email soon!)