Scan barcode
sevskywalker's review against another edition
4.0
This was an alright novelization as all novelizations of movies go,in fact this was better done than A New Hope novelization which didn't add much to the story and was also only ok.
So, why does this book get four stars? Because of the Dagobah scenes. They were very well written and a lot more was added to Luke's training than what is shown in the movie. As someone who can really appreciate training montages, this one resonated very well with me. Excepting that everything else was just ok, you can expect the kind of cheesy and corny writing that was lot common then in the 70's and 80's in this book.
So, why does this book get four stars? Because of the Dagobah scenes. They were very well written and a lot more was added to Luke's training than what is shown in the movie. As someone who can really appreciate training montages, this one resonated very well with me. Excepting that everything else was just ok, you can expect the kind of cheesy and corny writing that was lot common then in the 70's and 80's in this book.
deviationoftheendless's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
goodverbsonly's review against another edition
2.0
I'm thinking NOTHING will ever live up to my first star wars read, Matthew Stover's Revenge of the Sith. That shit is crazy and in comparison EVERY Star Wars novel sort of falls flat on its face.
I guess this shouldn't be too much of a surprise because of the following pieces of information: what I am looking for in a novelization (in particular, but also ALL star wars novels) is Darth Vader/Anakin nonsense (re: sadness) or information about the Jedi order. I am the prequels' BITCH, and it's very possible that this novelization, which reads very much like a prose-ified or even in places like a transcript of esb itself, was there to fill the void between seeing and reliving the movie to the best of your ability until a) return of the jedi came out or b) they replayed esb on tv and you were around to catch it. The prose is nothing special and it doesn't add anything to my understanding of the characters. Honestly, because it's been 40 years since this movie came out, and star wars has in a lot of ways grown beyond the original trilogy, I (and also you, and pretty much everyone with more than a passing interesting, and also some people with only a passing interest, in star wars) have a better understanding of the characters than this book has. I'm not giving it two stars for that reason, just...the lackluster prose.
On the other hand! I will say I think modern star wars fans are really missing out on the impish nature of Yoda's original concept which he never really lost, which means I am now walking away from this novel with an increased Love for Yoda. I've been diagnosed with Loving Yoda disease and you all can fight me.
Oh, also, I can't believe how distracted I was by the revelation that tauntauns are giant lizards with hair and blubber. This was so upsetting to me, because it rocked my understanding of life itself. I spent about two hours on Friday googling whether or not reptiles could live in cold climates, thinking that was stupid, stop trying to apply science to star wars, there's nothing to say that reptiles COULDN'T adapt like tauntauns, but then going bACK and being like: why AREN'T THEY MAMMALS? This is such a small thing, not the fault of this book at all (it could have been retconned at any time and hasn't been; they've retconned so much! they will retcon their own retcon! Lucasfilsm, PLEASE), and like, literally just a fact about tauntauns but it is STILL upsetting me.
I guess this shouldn't be too much of a surprise because of the following pieces of information: what I am looking for in a novelization (in particular, but also ALL star wars novels) is Darth Vader/Anakin nonsense (re: sadness) or information about the Jedi order. I am the prequels' BITCH, and it's very possible that this novelization, which reads very much like a prose-ified or even in places like a transcript of esb itself, was there to fill the void between seeing and reliving the movie to the best of your ability until a) return of the jedi came out or b) they replayed esb on tv and you were around to catch it. The prose is nothing special and it doesn't add anything to my understanding of the characters. Honestly, because it's been 40 years since this movie came out, and star wars has in a lot of ways grown beyond the original trilogy, I (and also you, and pretty much everyone with more than a passing interesting, and also some people with only a passing interest, in star wars) have a better understanding of the characters than this book has. I'm not giving it two stars for that reason, just...the lackluster prose.
On the other hand! I will say I think modern star wars fans are really missing out on the impish nature of Yoda's original concept which he never really lost, which means I am now walking away from this novel with an increased Love for Yoda. I've been diagnosed with Loving Yoda disease and you all can fight me.
Oh, also, I can't believe how distracted I was by the revelation that tauntauns are giant lizards with hair and blubber. This was so upsetting to me, because it rocked my understanding of life itself. I spent about two hours on Friday googling whether or not reptiles could live in cold climates, thinking that was stupid, stop trying to apply science to star wars, there's nothing to say that reptiles COULDN'T adapt like tauntauns, but then going bACK and being like: why AREN'T THEY MAMMALS? This is such a small thing, not the fault of this book at all (it could have been retconned at any time and hasn't been; they've retconned so much! they will retcon their own retcon! Lucasfilsm, PLEASE), and like, literally just a fact about tauntauns but it is STILL upsetting me.
kb_208's review against another edition
4.0
Was Randal right for saying this was the better Star Wars film due to it ending on a down-note just like life? Quite possibly. It's a good book and a good story.
jaredkwheeler's review against another edition
4.0
Star Wars Legends Project #278
Background: Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back was written by [a:Donald F. Glut|20034|Donald F. Glut|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1224694360p2/20034.jpg] (based on the story by [a:George Lucas|3231|George Lucas|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1458677946p2/3231.jpg] and published in April 1980. Glut had previously written an issue of the Marvel run of Star Wars comics.
Obviously this is the novelization of the film, and it takes place 3 years after the battle of Yavin and includes the Battle of Hoth. The main characters are Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Han Solo, Yoda, Chewbacca, Darth Vader, R2-D2, C-3PO, etc. The story takes place on Hoth, Dagobah, and Bespin, as well as in and around the Hoth System asteroid field.
Summary: After locating the secret Rebel base on the ice world of Hoth, Darth Vader launches an all-out assault against the Rebel forces. Many escape, but as he closes in on Han Solo and Princess Leia aboard a malfunctioning Millennium Falcon, Vader senses an opportunity to lure in his real target: Luke Skywalker, the man who blew up the Death Star. Meanwhile, Luke follows a mysterious vision to a swampy planet in search of a reclusive Jedi Master who may hold the keys to victory over the Dark Side.
Review: I don't have a lot of insight into how to judge this book apart from the fact that it's an adaptation of my favorite film. (Yeah, yeah, I know . . . How original. I don't know what to tell you. I like what I like.) I will say that I was worried that it might be a drag to get through just due to my overfamiliarity with the story . . . and it really wasn't. This story is just fantastic, and it never stops moving. It never really lags at any point.
There are a few minor differences between the adaptation and the film that suggest perhaps late changes to the screenplay, but most of it doesn't stand out. There's certainly nothing as jarring as some of what's in the adaptation of the first film, which has borderline canonicity. The biggest change here is some welcome extension to Luke's training on Dagobah. There are scenes that hint at a lot more time and rigor to his lessons under Yoda which really help flesh out that aspect of the film story.
For the most part, though, this is a fun read if you like Empire . . . but not as fun as just watching the movie again. Make of that what you will.
A-
Background: Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back was written by [a:Donald F. Glut|20034|Donald F. Glut|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1224694360p2/20034.jpg] (based on the story by [a:George Lucas|3231|George Lucas|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1458677946p2/3231.jpg] and published in April 1980. Glut had previously written an issue of the Marvel run of Star Wars comics.
Obviously this is the novelization of the film, and it takes place 3 years after the battle of Yavin and includes the Battle of Hoth. The main characters are Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Han Solo, Yoda, Chewbacca, Darth Vader, R2-D2, C-3PO, etc. The story takes place on Hoth, Dagobah, and Bespin, as well as in and around the Hoth System asteroid field.
Summary: After locating the secret Rebel base on the ice world of Hoth, Darth Vader launches an all-out assault against the Rebel forces. Many escape, but as he closes in on Han Solo and Princess Leia aboard a malfunctioning Millennium Falcon, Vader senses an opportunity to lure in his real target: Luke Skywalker, the man who blew up the Death Star. Meanwhile, Luke follows a mysterious vision to a swampy planet in search of a reclusive Jedi Master who may hold the keys to victory over the Dark Side.
Review: I don't have a lot of insight into how to judge this book apart from the fact that it's an adaptation of my favorite film. (Yeah, yeah, I know . . . How original. I don't know what to tell you. I like what I like.) I will say that I was worried that it might be a drag to get through just due to my overfamiliarity with the story . . . and it really wasn't. This story is just fantastic, and it never stops moving. It never really lags at any point.
There are a few minor differences between the adaptation and the film that suggest perhaps late changes to the screenplay, but most of it doesn't stand out. There's certainly nothing as jarring as some of what's in the adaptation of the first film, which has borderline canonicity. The biggest change here is some welcome extension to Luke's training on Dagobah. There are scenes that hint at a lot more time and rigor to his lessons under Yoda which really help flesh out that aspect of the film story.
For the most part, though, this is a fun read if you like Empire . . . but not as fun as just watching the movie again. Make of that what you will.
A-
javieregonzalez's review against another edition
2.0
Unlike the movie, I didn't seem to enjoy thid book. It felt flat, boring and did not add anything to the story. Took me a long time to get through it and I finally ended up not finishing it. I was hoping something different; maybe if I give it a try some other time I'll enjoy it...
echo_of_the_books's review against another edition
4.0
"Ich bin dein Vater" ... immer wieder herrlich :)
silversaint's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
lorien13's review against another edition
5.0
Once again a great Star Wars Novel. Of it is, being that it's the second Star Wars movie ever. Once again, little things threw me, perhaps the greatest being that Vader called Obi-wan "Ben", and name he never heard. And then Yoda's blue, not green. Also strange. But still very well done. :)