Written by George Lucas; Alan Dean Foster; Donald F. Glut; & James Kahn
SUMMARY:
Released in 2004 by Ballantine Books, this 711-page softcover anthology reprints the novelizations of the original Star Wars Trilogy (1976’s Episode IV – Star Wars: A New Hope by George Lucas and his ghostwriter. Alan Dean Foster; 1980’s Episode V – Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back by Donald F. Glut; and 1983’s Episode VI – Star Wars: The Return of Jedi by James Kahn.
At 260 pages, A New Hope notably includes scenes of Luke and his Tatooine friends (i.e. Biggs Darklighter) that were deleted from the film. The Empire Strikes Back checks in at a crisp 216 pages, as its novelization doesn’t add previously-unseen material. Only a captive Han Solo’s detention cell brawl with Lando Calrissian is briefly expanded. At 229 pages, the straight-forward Return of the Jedi also doesn’t offer deleted scenes. Neither film stills nor reprints of the original novel covers are included.
REVIEW:
Faithful to their source material, the three adaptations age relatively well and are worth re-discovery. Younger readers may be impressed by the spot-on storytelling that brings Luke Skywalker and his friends to life. One might even go as far to say that Kahn’s literary effort delivers some better ‘acting’ than what actually appears on-screen in Return of the Jedi. Still, considering its sheer length, this anthology would have benefited from a few visual materials (i.e. a film still montage insert) to entertain appreciative fans. Even without colorful ‘extras,’ this collection is a treat to read, especially for those exploring the Star Wars universe for the first time.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES:
Written in 2004, Lucas provides a two-page introduction. A single page is set aside for paragraph-length biographies of the four authors.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 7 Stars
