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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
a few interesting early details and differences in the story from before star wars ruined everything
but just made me wanna watch the movie: a big "what's the point?" here
but just made me wanna watch the movie: a big "what's the point?" here
My friend and I have a Star Wars Podcast called Batuu Banter. The reason I've been reading the novelizations has been for more insight into the movies. I am going to shamelessly plug my podcast here. If you're a Star Wars fan feel free to give it a listen and a follow, if you're not please share with your Star Wars loving friends. It's a silly podcast where we don't take ourselves seriously.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/67TACnAWuwR3IhBuPBZVTu?si=LFukEgxSRXC2lM4cKE002w&utm_source=copy-link
https://open.spotify.com/episode/67TACnAWuwR3IhBuPBZVTu?si=LFukEgxSRXC2lM4cKE002w&utm_source=copy-link
Alan Dean Foster, the real author behind the novelization of the first Star Wars, was featured in an interview on my favorite sci-fi channel on YouTube. He openly admits that it's the kind of commissional work that pays the bills, yet he appeared genuinely excited about the project. He argues his case quite convincingly.
Familiar stories are retold from different angles and the focus might shift to highlight intriguing aspects about the context of the main events. I had only just finished the Andor TV show, so I was delighted to find that From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker (as the book was originally subtitled) goes into slightly more detail when it comes to the political developments that lead to the Empire's gain in power as well as the dispersed actions of rebellion. This is especially true of the few extra scenes to feature Luke's childhood friend Biggs. It was also funny how there are now sexual tensions between Luke and Leia (they even kiss before they take the swing).
I've seen the movies so many times I literally know most dialogs by heart, so this made for a very relaxed listening of the audio-book adaptation. I really had a good time walking around in my neighborhood experiencing the story by having events described in prose (and read by the German voice of Han Solo). It's not overly descriptive, but through this interpretation some scenes appear richer in detail. There are also a few instances when Foster tries to explain away a few discontinuity errors or other minor weaknesses. For instance, it always bothered me that you never quite learn how our heroes escape from the garbage disposer (they asked R2 to open the door, d'oh).
In other respects I thought that some of the added bits deprive the conversations of their blithe directness. For instance, I never minded the Han's "we're are all gonna be a lot thinner" remark, but it does feel very silly when it is harpened out. It also bothered me how their are elements of the real world, like Luke being reminded of a dog he once had or Ben mentioning ducks.
It's not always great - the Millennium Falcon's last-minute arrival at the end was surprisingly unexciting - but overall it was very good fun. It just is a cool story that works just as well as pulpy little book.
3.5/5
Familiar stories are retold from different angles and the focus might shift to highlight intriguing aspects about the context of the main events. I had only just finished the Andor TV show, so I was delighted to find that From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker (as the book was originally subtitled) goes into slightly more detail when it comes to the political developments that lead to the Empire's gain in power as well as the dispersed actions of rebellion. This is especially true of the few extra scenes to feature Luke's childhood friend Biggs. It was also funny how there are now sexual tensions between Luke and Leia (they even kiss before they take the swing).
I've seen the movies so many times I literally know most dialogs by heart, so this made for a very relaxed listening of the audio-book adaptation. I really had a good time walking around in my neighborhood experiencing the story by having events described in prose (and read by the German voice of Han Solo). It's not overly descriptive, but through this interpretation some scenes appear richer in detail. There are also a few instances when Foster tries to explain away a few discontinuity errors or other minor weaknesses. For instance, it always bothered me that you never quite learn how our heroes escape from the garbage disposer (they asked R2 to open the door, d'oh).
In other respects I thought that some of the added bits deprive the conversations of their blithe directness. For instance, I never minded the Han's "we're are all gonna be a lot thinner" remark, but it does feel very silly when it is harpened out. It also bothered me how their are elements of the real world, like Luke being reminded of a dog he once had or Ben mentioning ducks.
It's not always great - the Millennium Falcon's last-minute arrival at the end was surprisingly unexciting - but overall it was very good fun. It just is a cool story that works just as well as pulpy little book.
3.5/5
I read about a third of this, and it’s just too straightforward to be worth my time. The novelizations don’t seem worth it, despite how fun the movies are.
So I did go and watch all the movies, which I haven’t seen since I was a kid, and that was the best way to revisit the franchise. Here’s my chronological order review of each movie.
Critical Score / Personal Score
Episode I – The Phantom Menace
B- / A-
Cheesy, goofy tone, special effects are so-so even if the visual design and world building is amazing, very poor acting, stiff dialogue, but story is fun and adventurous and complex, fast pace, great action, exciting and epic
Episode II – Attack of the Clones
B / A-
More mature storytelling, better tone, a slower buildup than Episode I but an even better third act, super awesome
Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
A- / A
Blows the others out of the water, cataclysmic storyline makes the whole movie thrilling and dreadful, Padme’s character arc is sexist so her character is a bit ruined (I think this wouldn’t be the case if the deleted scenes were kept in, but I have not seen them), the acting is still spotty, I’m not 100% convinced of Anakin’s turn, more like 80% convinced, but still—heaps of spectacle, insanely exciting finale. My personal favorite of the franchise.
Solo: A Star Wars Story
D / D+
Written with a bleak artificiality, like it was baked in a lab of corporate writers room drones, which I think it was, because Disney. But I love Alden as Solo.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
C / D
I don’t get the hype. It failed to keep my attention until the last half hour, which was fine. The whole thing feels like filler, with characters and plot points I don’t care about. And the writing is only a bit more mature than Solo, which isn’t saying much.
Episode IV – A New Hope
A / A-
Better than I remember. A terrific success. Gorgeous, well made, brimming with heart and wonder.
Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back
A- / B+
Shocked to be saying this, but I disagree with…99% of humanity, I think. This one’s my least favorite of OT. It’s not bad! At all! But I think the pacing is weaker than IV and VI and the ending is a tad underwhelming to me…sacrilegious to say, I know.
Episode VI – Return of the Jedi
A- / A-
More rewarding than IV, but not as riveting. So I enjoyed it about as much.
Episode VII – The Force Awakens
C+ / C
A shameless refashioning of A New Hope mixed with the toothless and pandering childishness of neo-Disney. Despite that, I don’t hate it. There’s a touch of wonder to it.
Episode VIII – The Last Jedi
B- / B-
The writing offers up about an equal amount of bravely subversive decisions and frustratingly dumb decisions—often the same thing at once. Very conflicting, but at least it shakes things up a bit. I sort of like how it pisses off many fans by daring to go against the grain. Still not a great movie, though.
Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker
D- / B-
The dumbest one in the whole saga. Wow, this story makes no sense. It’s almost unsettling how stupid it is. But it’s actually very entertaining.
So I did go and watch all the movies, which I haven’t seen since I was a kid, and that was the best way to revisit the franchise. Here’s my chronological order review of each movie.
Critical Score / Personal Score
Episode I – The Phantom Menace
B- / A-
Cheesy, goofy tone, special effects are so-so even if the visual design and world building is amazing, very poor acting, stiff dialogue, but story is fun and adventurous and complex, fast pace, great action, exciting and epic
Episode II – Attack of the Clones
B / A-
More mature storytelling, better tone, a slower buildup than Episode I but an even better third act, super awesome
Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
A- / A
Blows the others out of the water, cataclysmic storyline makes the whole movie thrilling and dreadful, Padme’s character arc is sexist so her character is a bit ruined (I think this wouldn’t be the case if the deleted scenes were kept in, but I have not seen them), the acting is still spotty, I’m not 100% convinced of Anakin’s turn, more like 80% convinced, but still—heaps of spectacle, insanely exciting finale. My personal favorite of the franchise.
Solo: A Star Wars Story
D / D+
Written with a bleak artificiality, like it was baked in a lab of corporate writers room drones, which I think it was, because Disney. But I love Alden as Solo.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
C / D
I don’t get the hype. It failed to keep my attention until the last half hour, which was fine. The whole thing feels like filler, with characters and plot points I don’t care about. And the writing is only a bit more mature than Solo, which isn’t saying much.
Episode IV – A New Hope
A / A-
Better than I remember. A terrific success. Gorgeous, well made, brimming with heart and wonder.
Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back
A- / B+
Shocked to be saying this, but I disagree with…99% of humanity, I think. This one’s my least favorite of OT. It’s not bad! At all! But I think the pacing is weaker than IV and VI and the ending is a tad underwhelming to me…sacrilegious to say, I know.
Episode VI – Return of the Jedi
A- / A-
More rewarding than IV, but not as riveting. So I enjoyed it about as much.
Episode VII – The Force Awakens
C+ / C
A shameless refashioning of A New Hope mixed with the toothless and pandering childishness of neo-Disney. Despite that, I don’t hate it. There’s a touch of wonder to it.
Episode VIII – The Last Jedi
B- / B-
The writing offers up about an equal amount of bravely subversive decisions and frustratingly dumb decisions—often the same thing at once. Very conflicting, but at least it shakes things up a bit. I sort of like how it pisses off many fans by daring to go against the grain. Still not a great movie, though.
Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker
D- / B-
The dumbest one in the whole saga. Wow, this story makes no sense. It’s almost unsettling how stupid it is. But it’s actually very entertaining.
Está muy bien escrito. La novelización de Star Wars contribuye a que los personajes tengan más personalidad, a diferencia de las películas ya no sólo se narra "una situación". Se introducen explicaciones como el origen de los jawas. Los mejor de todo es que en la misión para destruir la Estrella de la Muerte, hay toda una narración de los pensamientos y emociones de los personajes, con cada muerte hay una reacción que conmueve a los lectores. Sólo le doy 4 estrellas porque la traducción no es muy buena.
http://loquenoesnegroesazul.blogspot.mx/2016/05/resena-episodio-iv-una-nueva-esperanza.html
http://loquenoesnegroesazul.blogspot.mx/2016/05/resena-episodio-iv-una-nueva-esperanza.html
I knew I was in for a treat when I read those immortal opening words: "Another galaxy, another time." Wait, what?
I was 9 when Star Wars originally came out, perhaps the perfect age. I bought this book then, not really to read, but to own a piece of the movie; to be able to carry around pictures from it to remind me of the fantastic adventure. Back then, kids like me would buy just about anything with "Star Wars" on it. A different time indeed. Anyway, I came across it again while clearing things out of my Mom's house. Why would I read a 40-year-old novelization of a movie I've seen so many times that it's probably more imprinted on my brain than the names of my relatives? Nostalgia, of course!
Although credited to George Lucas, it was obviously ghost-written (by Alan Dean Foster, this site tells me), and that makes for some interesting reading. The obvious differences from the movie let it work as a document of editorial changes. There are deleted scenes like Luke hanging out with Biggs and Jabba confronting Han. There are character nuances such as Vader's long-term aspirations and Luke and Leia's less-subtle attraction to each other. Obi-Wan Kenobi is portrayed much more as an aged samurai than just some wandering mystic.
Also amusing are the passages that show the author hadn't seen any of the props or costumes yet. Both Vader and the Stormtroopers' "armor" are described as if they were more similar to Medieval armor, made of metal and with liftable faceplates. And what's with Luke's pilot callsign being "Blue Five"? Ridiculous!
In the end, it was pretty much what I wanted-- a fun trip down memory lane, but a weak book churned out by copying a screenplay.
I was 9 when Star Wars originally came out, perhaps the perfect age. I bought this book then, not really to read, but to own a piece of the movie; to be able to carry around pictures from it to remind me of the fantastic adventure. Back then, kids like me would buy just about anything with "Star Wars" on it. A different time indeed. Anyway, I came across it again while clearing things out of my Mom's house. Why would I read a 40-year-old novelization of a movie I've seen so many times that it's probably more imprinted on my brain than the names of my relatives? Nostalgia, of course!
Although credited to George Lucas, it was obviously ghost-written (by Alan Dean Foster, this site tells me), and that makes for some interesting reading. The obvious differences from the movie let it work as a document of editorial changes. There are deleted scenes like Luke hanging out with Biggs and Jabba confronting Han. There are character nuances such as Vader's long-term aspirations and Luke and Leia's less-subtle attraction to each other. Obi-Wan Kenobi is portrayed much more as an aged samurai than just some wandering mystic.
Also amusing are the passages that show the author hadn't seen any of the props or costumes yet. Both Vader and the Stormtroopers' "armor" are described as if they were more similar to Medieval armor, made of metal and with liftable faceplates. And what's with Luke's pilot callsign being "Blue Five"? Ridiculous!
In the end, it was pretty much what I wanted-- a fun trip down memory lane, but a weak book churned out by copying a screenplay.
I'm not sure where or when I came across my copy of the novelization of Star Wars. But I read it many times between then and when I, as an adult, could afford to buy copies of any book I pleased. This was before videocassettes, DVDs, and the ability to re-watch the movies any time I wanted.
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A