Эпизод IV: Новая надежда

Star Wars Novelizations #4

by George Lucas, Ян Юа (Translator), Тахир Велимеев (Translator)

Luke Skywalker challenged the stormtroopers of a distant galaxy on a daring mission - where a force of life became the power of death! Luke Skywalker was a twenty-year-old who lived and worked on his uncle's farm on the remote planet of Tatooine ... and he was bored beyond belief. He yearned for adventures out among the stars—adventures that would take him beyond the farthest galaxies to distant and alien worlds.But Luke got more than he bargained for when he intercepted a cryptic message from a beautiful princess held captive by a dark and powerful warlord. Luke didn't know who she was, but he knew he had to save her—and soon, because time was running out.Armed only with courage and with the light saber that had been his father's, Luke was catapulted into the middle of the most savage space war ever ... and he was headed straight for a desperate encounter on the enemy battle station known as the Death Star!

Genres: Star Wars, Science Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy, Space Opera, Adventure, Science Fiction Fantasy

368 pages, Hardcover

First published December 5, 1976

About the author

George Walton Lucas Jr. is an American filmmaker and philanthropist. He created the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises and founded Lucasfilm, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic and THX. He served as chairman of Lucasfilm before selling it to The Walt Disney Company in 2012. Nominated for four Academy Awards, he is considered to be one of the most significant figures of the 20th-century New Hollywood movement, and a pioneer of the modern blockbuster. Despite this, he has remained an independent filmmaker away from Hollywood for most of his career.
After graduating from the University of Southern California in 1967, Lucas moved to San Francisco and co-founded American Zoetrope with filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola. He wrote and directed THX 1138 (1971), based on his student short Electronic Labyrinth: THX 1138 4EB, which was a critical success but a financial failure. His next work as a writer-director was American Graffiti (1973), inspired by his youth in early 1960s Modesto, California, and produced through the newly founded Lucasfilm. The film was critically and commercially successful and received five Academy Award nominations, including Best Director and Best Picture. Lucas's next film, the epic space opera Star Wars (1977), later retitled A New Hope, had a troubled production but was a surprise hit, becoming the highest-grossing film at the time, winning six Academy Awards and sparking a cultural phenomenon. Lucas produced and co-wrote the sequels The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983). With director Steven Spielberg, he created, produced, and co-wrote Indiana Jones films Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), The Temple of Doom (1984), The Last Crusade (1989) and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), and served as an executive producer, with a cursory involvement in pre and post-production, on The Dial of Destiny (2023).
In 1997, Lucas re-released the original Star Wars trilogy as part of a Special Edition featuring several modifications; home media versions with further changes were released in 2004 and 2011. He returned to directing with a Star Wars prequel trilogy comprising The Phantom Menace (1999), Attack of the Clones (2002) and Revenge of the Sith (2005). He last collaborated on the CGI-animated movie and television series of the same name, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008–2014, 2020), the war film Red Tails (2012) and the CGI film Strange Magic (2015). Lucas is also known for his collaboration with composer John Williams, who was recommended to him by Spielberg, and with whom he has worked for all the films in both of these franchises. He also produced and wrote a variety of films and television series through Lucasfilm between the 1970s and the 2010s.
Lucas is one of history's most financially successful filmmakers. He directed or wrote the story for ten of the 100 highest-grossing movies at the North American box office, adjusted for ticket-price inflation. Through his companies Industrial Light and Magic and Skywalker Sound, Lucas was involved in the production of, and financially benefited from, almost every big-budget film released in the U.S. from the late 1980s until the 2012 Disney sale. In addition to his career as a filmmaker, Lucas has founded and supported multiple philanthropic organizations and campaigns dedicated to education and the arts, including the George Lucas Educational Foundation, which has been noted as a key supporter in the creation of the federal E-Rate program to provide broadband funding to schools and libraries, and the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, a forthcoming art museum in Los Angeles developed with his wife, Mellody Hobson.

Reviews

[Alejandro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everything, here begun!


I have bought the Omnibus edition with the three original “Star Wars” movie novelizations but I’ve chosen this edition to make a better focused review of each single book.


A LONG TIME AGO…

This is the novelization of that movie that a long time ago changed the way that Hollywood does films, maybe you have heard about it (unless of course, you have been frozen in carbonite for more than 40 years), since there is the far far away chance that you have never watched the movie, but definitely you must have heard about it!

Star Wars

It was known just like that, Star Wars, at the beginning, but with the incoming of the rest of movies, TV series, novels, comics, etc... soon enough, it turned to be known as Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope.

But hey! Episode Four?! Then why am I beginning with the fourth episode in the series?!

Because it’s Star Wars…

…changing everything, even the way to tell stories (not to mention of re-inventing how the speciall effects would be done from then on).

And nowadays (2018) is more alive than ever!

OK, now, if you are of those frozen in carbonite and never having watched the movie, I warned you of NOT keep reading since there will be some kind of spoilers…


WHAT’S DIFFERENT IN THE BOOK THAN THE MOVIE?

Well, first of all, no, George Lucas didn’t write the book (and to have balance in the Force, no, Gene Roddenberry didn’t write Star Trek: The Motion Picture novelization neither), but what both books have in common is that they shared the same “ghost writer” (and no, it wasn’t a Force ghost!), Alan Dean Foster, known novelist, popular writer of novelizations, and a staple name in sci-fi literature.

But don’t make a revolution about it, since it’s obvious that good ol’ Georgie indeed made the script (after several drafts, at least four official ones, and maybe more unofficials), so Alan Dean Foster made the “translation” of the crude screenplay to a prose novel format, and I can tell you that it was a really good work, nothing to envy from any other prose novel out there.

So, what’s new in the prose novelization that there wasn’t in the movie (counting the Special Editions’ additions)?

Well, nothing much that relevant, I can mention the infamous scenes of Luke watching from ground with (some absurdly good) binoculars the space battle between Leia’s ship and Vader’s Imperial Destroyer; along with Luke’s conversation about it with his Tatooine’s young pals, including Biggs Darklighter.

Oh, and a cool comment by the X-Wing Leader saying that he flew along with Luke’s daddy (wink, wink), so he trusted that Luke must be as good as fighter pilot.

And that’s pretty much it,…

…BUT WAIT!!!

Also, Foster could correct some wide-known mistakes or polemic topics, like…

…C-3PO commenting that the Princess wouldn’t be able to escape this time and later saying that he didn’t know who was the girl in the hologram, now in the prose novel the reference is done about the ship’s captain that he would be the one not able to escape this time.

…droids weren’t allow to get aboard escape pods, so there is now logical that those good ol’ Imperial officers couldn’t conceive that any other kind of intelligent form were in what it seemed like an accidentally ejected escape pod.

…Darth Vader is mentioned as a Dark Lord of the Sith, while in the original movies, the term was never used, and it was untile the prequel trilogy that the term was widely coined.

…General Kenobi weren’t in direct service of Leia’s father, but the Old Republic.

…Han Solo shot first, oh yeah!

…Tarkin didn’t bother to go over to Dantooine, since even if it would be a real active Rebel Base, it would be too far away of the main space routes to serve as an effective visual testimony of the Death Star’s power to infuse fear in the Core Worlds of the Galactic Empire, so Alderaan was going to be the intended target not matter what.

…Han Solo argues how the heck Leia would be able to pay her rescue if she wasn’t rich anymore (lacking of a planet).

…Chewie got his medal, oh yeah!

And many other things, here and there.

Of course, also there are things that they are STILL WRONG due changes during the making of the movie, while good ol’ Alan was far far away, typing his novelization at home, like…

…it’s said that Leia’s consular ship was warned to stay away of the space sector where the Imperial Starfleet was dealing with the Rebel Spies (true, this is something rather new due Rogue One, but still I mention it, since it’s like an “obligation” of not respecting previous continuity, canon or not).

…there is an odd paragrah indicating that Darth Vader has been in service of more than one emperor, and while Palpatine is mentioned, it’s not said that he’s a Sith too.

…old Ben Kenobi doesn’t remember of being owner of astromech droids (poor R4-P17 and R4-G9 must be twisting of indignation in their graves (yes, I know, it was a prequel thing, but still)), and even there is problematic comment indicating that R2-D2 model is “too modern” for having being already in service during the old Clone Wars.

…more than a mistake, it’s quite odd that in the prose novelization, the scene of the Death Star firing against Alderaan isn’t developed, so you have to read “between lines” to understand that fact. Even Obi-Wan Kenobi didn’t feel in the Force the sudden death of all those billions of Alderaanians.

…the climax of the lightsaber battle between Obi-wan Kenobi and Darth Vader is too much vague and you can’t get what really happened at the end of it.

…the stuff made by the Red Team in the movie, it’s done in the book by the Blue Team (besides the thing with Rogue One, this was a forced change while filming the movie, since the blue screen was troublesome to work with X-Wing maquettes painted with blue stripes). The Gold Team is referenced as simple Yellow, Also there is mention of a Green Team.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

RISING UNEMPLOYMENT: The “DARK SIDE” of the Rebel Victory at Yavin.



***The following is just one story of the economic devastation that resulted from the brutal and senseless attack by the so called rebels (called "domestic terrorists" by many) on the newly completed pork barrel government works project known as the Imperial Death Star...there are many, many more.***


To: Major Bigga Asshatian
Chief of Coruscant Internal Security

From: Chips O’Toole
Director FISEPRA (Former Imperial Stormtrooper Employment Placement and Relocation Agency)

Re: Employment Candidate Request

Dear Major Asshatian:

I have a candidate for the vacant file clerk position at Coruscant Internal Security (CIS) and I would greatly appreciate if you would consent to granting him an interview for the position. This is an unusual and tragic case, and one personally important to me, and so I would beg your indulgence while I provide a little background on the young man’s history.

The candidate is a 28 year old male, Imperial citizen with over 5 years experience in Security and Law Enforcement. Until recently, he also had a Class A3 Pilot’s rating, however this rating has been revoked for reasons that will become obvious during the course of this narrative. 2 years ago, the candidate was a member of Gamma Flight Squadron assigned to the Imperial Death Star Station when the ill-fated station was destroyed in the unprovoked attack by the Rebels in the Yavin system. He was one of only a handful to survive the attack as he was engaged in defensive flight operations against the Rebels at the time of the station’s destruction.

In addition to the tragic loss of life that occurred as a result of the loss of the Imperial Death Star, the event also cut short the bright and very promising career of this young man. The candidate had previously been on the fast track to advancement. In addition to his security experience and flight expertise, he had been part of the “Leaders of the Future” Program sponsored by the Sith Foundation and, in an ironic twist of fate, was actually part of the committee responsible for naming the new Imperial station.


Unfortunately, all this came to a screeching halt after the “Yavin Incident.” Following the attack and destruction of the Death Star, the candidate was diagnosed with severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The condition left the candidate unable to perform his duties and suffering from a variety of PTSD-related symptoms, most notably night sweats and a chronic case of IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).


Shortly after being diagnosed with IBS, he was removed from active duty and 18 months ago was granted early retirement. Initially, with the Empire providing medical coverage for all its former stormtroopers, the young man was able to take some time off and focus on recovering.


Unfortunately, as you know, severe cuts in medical coverage were required to fund the Empire’s increased military budget for both the “Hoth” engagement and the “Bounty Hunter Work Program” (a project endorsed personally by Lord Vader). This led to the termination of Imperial medical coverage for all former Stormtroopers. With mounting medical bills and a growing addiction to both “death sticks” and Twi’Lek dancing girls, the candidate soon found himself in dire financial straights. As a result, he was forced to seek out new employment to cover medical expenses and the legal fees incurred in connection with several paternity suits.

However, as a former Imperial stormtrooper, he was not eligible for union membership under the Galactic CBA and was forced to take a variety of low paying jobs without benefits of any kind. These jobs ranged from:

Nanny/Babysitter


and

Amateur Adult Film Star


As you might imagine, these jobs provided little help to the candidate and he continued his downward spiral into depression and increased addiction. He eventually “hit bottom” 9 months ago when he was arrested for exposing himself to an Imperial peace officer and for assault (stemming from his urination on the aforementioned peace officer).


Despite the vehement protest of the arresting officer, the charges were eventually dropped after the intervention of a member of the Sith Foundation and the young man was sent to rehab and given treatment for his depression and his growing addictions. He has been clean for the last 6 months other than one “incident” involving a female Hutt which both parties at this time swear was consentual....**shudder**...and appears to be back on track and ready to become a contributing member of the Empire.

Of course, his IBS remains chronic and so a desk job close to “facilities” remains a must. However, apart from that the candidate is fully capable of handling most any administrative task you would see fit to give me.

Thank you for your anticipated understanding and cooperation with this request. You will be doing a wonderful service for both the candidate and his mother (my sister). In addition, you will also be of tremendous help to me personally because I really want the creepy fucker out of my house would like to see the young man able to support himself again.

Kindest regards,


Chips O’Toole
Director FISEPRA (Former Imperial Stormtrooper Employment Placement and Relocation Agency)

[Argent Talonn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Star Wars: A New Hope
Author: George Lucas, Alan Dean Foster
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy
Publication Year: 1976

Review: Most people would be more familiar with the movie than they would the movie novelization, but the reality is that the novel is practically beat for beat with what readers saw on screen. I was eleven when this movie became so intrinsic an aspect of the zeitgeist that my father, who hates science fiction, decided to take his little family to the theater to watch the special effects wizardry.

The hero's journey began when Luke Skywalker, a young farm boy who lives on a sand planet named Tatooine, dreamt of leaving his homeworld to join the Rebel Alliance, the way all of his friends had done. Luke intercepted a message meant for Obi-Wan Kenobi, from a beautiful princess named Leia. She was being detained by a warlord named Darth Vader representing the Empire.

With such meager information, Luke initiates his quest to find Obi-Wan, the Princess, and the Alliance that seems so very far away from his homeworld. Turned out that he was very wrong about that. Wonderful visuals, mesmerizing special effects, and a musical score that lifts your spirits and captivates with every note. The novel is a pale echo, but a necessary ingredient contributing to the making of a franchise.

[Bill Riggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

This would be a great movie. It has summer blockbuster written all over it!

[Bettie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A winter viewing marathon begins...

Description: The Imperial Forces, under orders from cruel Darth Vader, hold Princess Leia hostage in their efforts to quell the rebellion against the Galactic Empire. Luke Skywalker and Han Solo, captain of the Millennium Falcon, work together with the companionable droid duo R2-D2 and C-3PO to rescue the beautiful princess, help the Rebel Alliance and restore freedom and justice to the Galaxy. Written by Jwelch5742

Jeepers, that was grrrreat! Does anyone else remember the Atari game? Watch it here

[Jonathan Maas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Became a project of mine to read 'the Star Wars books' - and this was a great start. Loved it, and it really made me see Star Wars from a new perspective!

Great and honest intro by George Lucas about how he approached the ghostwriter Alan Dean Foster, and it is great to see both of their talents on the page.

Reading the next two currently! Love them as well, but man - Alan Dean Foster really started things off right!

[Jason Pierce · Rating 3 out of 5]

They say that children should be seen and not heard. Likewise, science fiction should be seen and not read. I haven't read a ton of sci-fi, but every time I read a story that has a corresponding movie, the movie wins every time.

I enjoyed reading this, but not because it's great literature (it isn't, not by a long shot, though the chapter at the end concerning the fight over the Death Star was fantastic). George Lucas supposedly wrote this, but it was actually done by ghost writer Alan Dean Foster. When asked if it was hard for him to see Lucas get all the credit for it, Foster said "Not at all. It was George's story idea. I was merely expanding upon it. Not having my name on the cover didn't bother me in the least. It would be akin to a contractor demanding to have his name on a Frank Lloyd Wright house." In the introduction to the edition I have, Lucas credited Foster for writing the book even though Lucas' name is still on the cover. I don't think it's a matter of each being magnanimous enough to give credit where credit is due, but rather trying to pass the blame because this really isn't that good. The story is the same, and the story is great; I love it just as much now as I did when I was a wee tot. But the writing... It gets a little rough. Lucas and Foster were both in their early 30's when it came out, so maybe we can blame their youth. I'm not sure who gets credit for the clunkiness; it could be both. The action was constantly interrupted with brief side phrases, and awkward similes, and those always took me out of the story. It's not that they were bad similes, but they were poorly placed. E.g.: An X-wing is bearing down on something, ready to fire. There's a TIE fighter on its tail (insert simile here), getting ready to fire. Will it hit its mark? Some people like that kind of thing, but I don't. I think when the action is intense, the scene should play out without an off topic reference popping up in your face. I bitch about that a lot in my Sleeping Beauties review, actually. Oh Gods, will I ever recover from that book? It doesn't look like it.

No, my enjoyment for this particular book is mostly an academic interest. This book came out a few months before the movie was released. Sales were minimal, and everyone thought the movie would fare about the same. George Lucas was hoping to make just enough to be able to make a sequel. Well, we all know what happened. Star Wars exploded and exceeded everyone's wildest hopes and dreams. I think it's safe to say it will never go away, and the impact it's had on pop culture can't be overstated. The book was rereleased as a movie tie-in, and did much better the second time around. Side story (Foster and Lucas aren't the only ones who can interrupt with fiddle-faddle). My college music professor and his wife were in New York City when Star Wars came out. While riding in a taxi, they passed a line of people waiting outside a building, and the line wrapped around the corner. They asked the taxi driver what those people might be lining up for, and he told them "Oh, they're waiting to see that new robot movie," meaning Star Wars. The idea that it was once referred to as "that robot movie" tickles me. Everybody in the developed world, and most in the undeveloped world, know what the Star Wars franchise is. They might not know anything about it (such as one of my grandmothers), but they've at least heard of it.

What interests me most are the changes that happened between this book, which I assume was based on the original, pre-production screenplay, and the movie, and then with the subsequent movies. There were a lot of subtle changes with some of the characters in both how they behaved and how they looked. Darth Vader force floats a cup of coffee to himself and takes a drink during the meeting with the Death Star staff before he chokes Admiral Motti (named Romodi in the book), which couldn't possibly happen with the final design of his costume unless he took off his mask. Parts of the Storm Troopers' faces are exposed also. Jabba is a fat man instead of a giant slug. (There's actually footage of this that wasn't used in the original movie, but it was reinserted with the special edition, and a CGI Jabba was pasted on top of him.) R2 looks quite different, and has arms that can perform tasks instead of just the spindly things that pop out of him. The Emperor is not a Sith Lord, but a puppet of some other Senators. Vader is not the only Dark Lord in the Empire. Luke is not in the red squadron at the end, but the blue. Well, you get the idea. I just think reading the original plan is kind of neat, though I'm 100% in support of the changes. All the changes that made it to the movie make the story better, and the evolution from the first movie to the second are even better. We see the real Vader in The Empire Strikes Back, and some of the changes from the first movie have to be creatively explained away, such as why he kinda/sorta took orders from Tarkin, or was on equal footing with him. It's clear after this movie that Vader takes orders from nobody but the Emperor.

There were also Earthly references that made me think that maybe this story takes place in this galaxy right here instead of one far, far away. Obi-Wan mentions a duck, and Luke asks him what a duck is. Luke also thinks about a dog he once owned. Having seen all the movies, some of the TV shows and comics, and having read a few of the books, I've seen many creatures in the Star Wars universe, but I've never seen a dog or a duck. I suppose they could exist, though.

This book/movie also has the biggest coulda/shoulda/woulda moment in that galaxy far, far away which plays out between Captain Bolvan and Lieutenant Hija.



Bolvan ordered Hija to hold his fire on the escape pod which had no life forms in it. A total of half a page is dedicated to the exchange, but it's the keystone to the entire conflict. We know that the pod had the droids with the Death Star plans aboard, and if it had been destroyed, that would've been the end of the whole thing. The Death Star would not have been destroyed. Luke's training as a Jedi would probably have been delayed since he'd still be helping uncle Owen on his farm for another season or two. Leia would've been executed. The rebels would likely have been found and destroyed during that period. Han and Leia would never have met, so that would mean no Kylo Ren in later years, but you really wouldn't need him since the Emperor, Vader, and the Empire would still be around, and everyone in the First Order would just be a part of that instead. Yoda would probably have died alone on Dagobah, though I suppose he, Obi-Wan, and Luke would've met at some point and started a new resistance. We're not told what happened to Bolvan once Vader found out he ordered Hija to stand down, but it doesn't require a lot of imagination to figure it out if you know anything about Vader's MO in dealing with such blunders.

Like I said before, I enjoyed reading this, but not as much as when I read it in high school 25+ years ago, and I don't reckon I'll ever need to read it again. I'll probably hit The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi again eventually, but to hell with the prequel novels. I don't remember much about them other than I didn't think they were very good, and I'm certainly not brave enough to try the latest three.

Final thought: Just watch the movie instead; the book adds nothing that the movie hasn't improved.

[Rahaf Potrosh · Rating 3 out of 5]

حرب النجوم

أشبه بألعاب الفيديو القديمة ايام زمان
ايام لم يكن فيها الانترنت ولا الهواتف الخليوية ولا مواقع التواصل اجتماعي
ايام كنا نقضي فيها الليالي لإنهاء الحروب و تحرير الكون و إنقاذ البشرية

عادت بي إلى ايام الطفولة القديمة الجميلة البريئة البسيطة الخالية من كل ما نعيشه حالياً

فاصل خفيف و مناسب لاستعادة النشاط القرائي

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this is a fun novelization of the blockbuster film, purists may have some issues with it. Some of the iconic lines ("Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi; you're my only hope") are changed, whereas others are added, such as Obi-Wan talking about a duck, to which Luke replies, "What's a duck?" Still, fans of space opera will enjoy it, as long as they're not expecting an exact transcript of the movie.

[Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the record, I read a yellowing 1977 edition complete with "16 pages of full-color photos from this spectacular space-fantasy motion picture." Ah, the nostalgia...

Such a fun read!

[Melindam]

5 stars for the memories & dedicated to my young, not-quite-9-year-old self & for my mum, who bought me the Hungarian edition of the book in 1983 because I was not allowed to watch it in the cinemas in Hungary at the time (age restriction) while desperate to do so. :)

I could only watch it in 1984 at Christmas when it premiered on the Hungarian TV.

Those were the days. :)

Otherwise it is a rather badly and blandly written book, mechanically following the movie script and does not deserve more than 2-2,5 stars on its own merits.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars ...

The original ...
and, arguably, the best! 😁

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es una obra maestra..¿Qué otra puntuación iba a darle?:):D

[Catherine⁷]

This story does pretty well in novel form. The portrayal of the hero’s journey in Star Wars is such a classic.

[✨Bean's Books✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just like the film.
We all know the story but here it is...
Luke Skywalker is a young man on the remote planet of Tatooine who longs for another life. Around him the solar system comes to life and small battles leading to a war. On one side you have the Diplomatic Senate and on the other you have the cruel Empire. The Empire seeks dominion over all the star systems in the galaxy. As Luke joins together with his old acquaintance Obi-Wan Kenobi, two droids carrying a vital secret and new friends Han and Chewbacca they embark on an epic adventure that can only be told in a galaxy far far away.
A play-by-play book of the movie which is almost like reading the screenplay. Believe it or not this copy of the book is the copy that was published before the movie was released. It is hard for someone like me (a huge Star Wars freak) to envision the story told any other way or for the characters to say anything else but what they say in the movie. But this book hold subtle differences from the film even though it's nearly so closely related I can almost hear the John Williams score playing in the background as I read through these pages.
Beautifully written by George Lucas himself this book is a great addition to anyone's library.
By the way did you know that C-3PO and R2 D2 names are actually spelled "See Threepio" and "Artoo Detoo"? LMAO 😂 I never would have known if I had not read the book.
I would definitely recommend this book to any who proclaim themselves to be a geek of the Star Wars universe. This is definitely a must if you love The Holy Trilogy.

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0 Stars
The novelization was quite short and did not add a lot of new information. Yet the author still did a good job clearing up some inconsistencies. This is my least favourite of the original trilogy, so I was happy that I enjoyed this read as much as I did.

[Ingrida Lisauskiene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nusprendžiau pilnai susipažinti su "Žvaigždžių karų" pilna istorija ir taip pat peržiūrėti visus filmus. Taigi žengiau pirmą žingsnį - perskaičiau pirmą knygą. Tada sužinojau, kad tai yra ketvirtasis filmų „Žvaigždžių karų“ sagos epizodas. Pagaliau tiesiog supratau istorijos esmę - kai tai yra Dartas Veideris, Lukas Skaivokeris ir t.t. Tai tiesiog klasika.

[Shoma]

This is going to be a spectacularly biased review. Also, I'm listening to the Imperial March while writing this. *I should do this every time.*

The reason why I am giving this book five whole stars is because it let me have my childhood back, if only for the duration of 200 odd pages. Plus, I'm criminally low-brow. So I'm writing this review partly out of sentiment and partly out of dedication to my decision to review every book I read this year.

So, again, how can I NOT like this book? It's Luke. And Han and Princess Leia and Chewie and ol' Darth and R2D2 and C3P0 and Jabba and Greedo and Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru and Tusken Raiders and, and... heck, and even Admiral Motti (except he's not the one getting Force-choked here, which I find disturbing). Despite Alan Dean Foster's (I think we can all stop pretending Lucas wrote this) magnificently purple prose, despite his inexplicable bigotry towards Jawas, despite all the differences from the movie, I loved this book because it made me feel like I was discovering Star Wars all over again.

Surprisingly, there were things I genuinely liked about this book. I enjoyed reading a more detailed descriptions of Tatooine and Yavin IV, for one. With the movie, you're way too busy watching the X-Wings and stuff to appreciate the rebel base hidden inside an ancient temple. I mean, part of the reason Star Wars is so awesome are all the worlds. And it's interesting coming across familiar scenes and lines of dialogue, and seeing them treated differently. It's interesting to see what Lucas had in mind before the characters and events become the ones we know now. Also, Han shot first and this book proves it. Still, I prefer Jabba talking in Huttese and going all "Han ma buki" than in English (or is it Basic?). Also, it's a shame that the word "battle station" has to be used all the time. "Death Star" is possibly the best name EVER for a starship (and one of my favourite words in the English language apart from "drawings" and "forest" and "antebellum").

But the best part, of course, is the same adventure and feeling of being transported into another world. If you ever watched Star Wars as a kid, if you ever wanted to grow up to be a Jedi (or a Corellian smuggler, or a princess from Alderaan, or a Sith lord) then I dare you to read about the Millenium Falcon coming in to save Luke right before he blasts the Death Star and not smile. I dare you to read this - "Only when the freighter fully eclipsed the sun forward did the new threat become visible. It was a Corellian transport, far larger than any fighter, and it was diving directly at the trench." and not feel wildly happy. Go on, I double dare you.

I could complain a little about the writing, which has gems like - "... multiple treads that were taller than a tall man." Really, Mr. Foster? Really? And what were you thinking when you described Obi-Wan as a "night-stalking ferret"??? But honestly, I don't care. And sometimes it's so bad it's actually kind of funny - "Luke had never seen its like before; he knew neither its species nor its language. The gabbling might have been an invitation to a fight, a request to share a drink, or a marriage proposal."

I had once promised to stay away from the EU and anything other than the movies (this was after I read about Han becoming an alcoholic and Chewie dying) but I enjoyed reading this so much that I'm going to read the other two novelizations as well. What can I say, I have a very good feeling about this.

[Laurel Rockefeller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back before there were VCRS (let alone DVDs), this was one of my favorite books. Yes, I know, this dates me. I first read this book just as the lights were fading from the original theatrical release of "Return of the Jedi" in 1983. I never lost my love of the book.

As much as people love the films, the books are better and go into much more detail.


So I continue to revisit my old favorite...and refuse to call it "A New Hope." They added that later, after Empire came out. To those of us old enough to remember seeing the movie in the theater, this book and this movie will always be simply "Star Wars."

[Di'ana (Knygų drakonas) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ar galima įvertinti mažiau nei maksimumu? Kai užaugi su "Žvaigždžių karų" magija, geriau tik perskaityti ją, įsijausti kitu kampu, ne tik žiūrėti ką jau kažkas perskaitė ir sukūrė filmą. Skaitai ir tiesiog pasineri į knygą, viskas taip paprasta, o kartu ir ne, jog neįtikėtinai įtraukia, paperka, įvilioja į "Žvaigždžių karų" pasaulis, jog norisi tapti dalimi. Sklendžiant puslapiais vėl ir vėl prisimeni, kodėl norėjai tampti Džedajumi, o gal Lėja, ar vis dėlto Hanu Solo, galbūt net Vukiui ar R2D2. Nepaprastai kosmiškai dieviška. Jėga!!!!!!

[Dexcell · Rating 3 out of 5]

"They were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Naturally, they became heroes." - Leia Organa.

I first read the original trilogy novels when I was about 13 or so. I decided to give it another go after reading dozens and dozens of Star Wars books. And I have to say it wasn't bad. It was pretty much a shot for shot telling of the film with some small differences in dialogue.

It was enjoyable. And now I'll see how the next two hold up.

[Christopher Rush · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with the comics adaptation, the novelization by George Alan Dean Foster Lucas differs in quite a few ways from the essentially "official" version of the story, the movie (and again, I refer to the original theatrical release, not the modified not-so-special editions released in multiple forms in the last 15 years). Perhaps the more notable differences are the nature of the political system and the ending, though the discrepancies in the political nature of the Empire - especially in Darth Vader himself - are certainly the most drastic change.

The additional scenes with Biggs at the beginning, Han's confrontation with a much different "Jabba," Owen Lars's temperament (much more angry than he is in the movie), the constant references to Ben as an imp, the different dialogue in key places, Kenobi getting "killed" instead of allowing Vader to strike him down - all of these are noticeable but less glaring (though Kenobi's death scene is much more gratifyingly done in the movie). The different political structure is intriguing - I wish it was a much larger element of this story and the latter episodes; I realize I wish that now, in my 30s, and definitely would not have wanted that or enjoyed the movies nearly as much as a youngster (unlike Ben Kenobi and the other "oldsters" - huh?).

That Darth Vader can't look upon Motti or even Tarkin as an equal not because of his status as a Sith Lord but because of his other spacial-political ambitions and such were an intriguing variation, as well as the sparse background on Tarkin as a potential rival for the Emperor. The timing of everything, the so-called Senate wherever it is/was and whatever it has been doing, the size and secrecy of the Rebellion, all of these could have been developed more fully. Ah, well.

Another noteworthy element is the aggravated feeling of just how little Princess Leia is in the story - it's an even starker absence than in the movie (combined with the embarrassing descriptions of her during the Death Star battle, and how she apparently kept chewing her nails out of girlish nervousness), made all the more bizarre by the final few sentences, with Luke ogling her and she just smiling back. At least the comic novelization brings us back out to a larger scope of how the freedom fighters have hope now after such a major victory.

The diminutive ending (set against descriptions of how apparently the entire Rebel Alliance is crammed into the one room, which isn't quite believable - I always felt only parts of the Alliance were gathered at Yavin and Hoth, and not just because of how much more diversity in aliens were in the Alliance in Episode VI), is oddly phrased and somewhat jarring. Perhaps the best aspect of the entire pre-novelization was the actual Trench Assault scene - that was impressively gripping, even after seeing the movie dozens of times in my life.

The differences are a little jarring at first (different callsigns, that Luke, Wedge, and Biggs make two assaults on the trench and not just one, the death of Biggs and Luke's little goodbye message (not nearly as juvenile by that point in the book as it seemed at the beginning), the timing of Han's rescue and Obi-Wan's messages, as well as the description of how Luke actually destroyed the Death Star), but on the whole it was very riveting.

I'm not saying it was the Iliad, but the brief character sketches were a nice touch, and the way Foster-Lucas described the various assault runs were intense. As I said, the different narrative approach to how Luke actually completes the job was not as enjoyable as the more stream-lined finish of the movie, but it was a nice variation to consider in propinquity. Though reading the book for the first half of seems more like a chore to be done only for completists, the differences and impressive extended finish make it worthwhile and actually enjoyable.

[Danielle. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5 stars.

I grew up with having four older brothers. As a child I remember them watching Star Wars with Mom, but I don't remember the scenes from the films in particular; I just remember loving Yoda. Really, though, who doesn't?

Fast-forward to now, in a galaxy far, far away...

Star Wars is one of the most talked about science fiction film franchises in the United States (and probably in the rest of Western civilization): the space action, the lightsabers, the wonderfully crafted and sophisticated dialogue, the hilarious banters, the droids and various creatures of different species, and everything else it has to offer. This was such a fun read, though at different intervals I was rather bored; it's the reason for which I rated this a 3.5 stars.

There's no need for me to write a summary for the book. George Lucas, the man behind the films, wrote this film novelization. So it's straight from the film. People recommend watching the films first before reading these, but I've done the very opposite. Yes, my dear readers, I have yet to see the movies. I just haven't had enough time. Whenever I try to watch the movie, there is always something I have to do or am constantly interrupted. Therefore, I took it upon myself to buy the books and read it on the go: on my way to and from work, in my room before bed, at my cousin's house, etc. I know the movie is far, far better because you have the exact visuals and graphics needed in order to enjoy yourself.

I'll get to watching them soon. Hopefully.

Anyway, the writing for this is simple, yet very informative. I absolutely adore Threepio and Artoo-Deetoo! Their love-hate relationship and thrown insults had me chuckling and smiling. I need these two together and more of them throughout Star Wars!

Luke Skywalker was a real pain 95% of the book: he constantly obsesses over Princess Leia and never listens.

Han Solo and Chewbacca are my second pair of favourites. Solo is just an all-around witty and sarcastic character.

The rest of the characters are pleasing and nicely crafted.

I have incredibly high expectations of the films and I know the books just aren't going to give the films justice.

[Emma Eggleston · Rating 2 out of 5]

Save yourself time and energy. Just watch the movie. The book is almost verbatim the screenplay with a few annoying differences. This is one of those instances where the movie is better than the book.

[Genevieve Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

The old yellow edition I had of this (with Pages Of Full Color Stills From The Movie!) ripped in half right down the spine while I was reading it. Bummer.

I don't really know how to rate this. It's pretty much just A New Hope, but with the deleted scenes included and some weird details changed.

What does stand out is how consistently... over-the-top this book is. I saw some reviews praising the sophisticated vocabulary. Maybe it's just a change in norms between now and 1976, since I don't know much about old school scifi, but I found a lot of the language to be overly flowery and tryhard, rather than sophisticated. For instance, in a descriptive passage, he says that Uncle Owen's hair is "like gypsum helicites."

First of all... is this at all useful for anything other than highlighting the author's knowledge of geology? Will this give most people a good mental picture? Was the average layman much more geologically-inclined back in 1976 than he tends to be in 2017? We just don't know. Second of all, google tells me that this should be spelled "helictites," but in the book it is definitely written as "helicites." The confusion multiplies.

Obi-Wan says, "In my experience there is no such thing as luck, my young friend -- only highly favorable adjustments of multiple factors to incline events in one's favor." Like, jeez. Calm down, Kenobi. r/iamverysmart much?

I was perfectly content to blame George Lucas for this, but turns out A New Hope was actually ghostwritten by ADF. Since this novelization came out actually before the ANH movie, part of me suspects that this kind of thing was included in the script George Lucas gave ADF to work from, and the script itself underwent some refining and proofreading afterward. Makes me want to read ADF's TFA novelization and see how his modern prose compares to his earlier prose.

A lot of the most iconic ANH quotes get this same treatment. Novelization Han says, "hocus-pocus religions and archaic weapons" instead of the more punchy, familiar version. Leia says, "You must help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You are my last hope." It's just very padded with extra fluff for some reason, whether it's because ADF was free-wheeling on this, or whether George Lucas's script hadn't been fully pared down yet.

Conversely, there are some moments in the novelization that aren't in the movie and seem almost jarringly casual. For instance, Obi-Wan says to Luke, "Even a duck must be taught to swim." Luke's response is, "What's a duck?" I spent a solid 4 minutes unable to continue reading because I was laughing at this. Oh my gosh. I'm adopting this as canon now. Also, there's a point where Luke says, "General Kenobi, you fought in the Clone Wars? But... that was so long ago." Obi-Wan replies, "Um, yes. I guess it was a while back."

Um, yes. I guess it was a while back.

Can you picture Alec Guiness saying that? I'm screaming. CANON.

Other notable details:

• Leia bites her nails when nervous.

• Luke flies as Blue Five for some reason (?????)

• Obi-Wan KILLS TWO PEOPLE in Mos Eisley cantina as well as slicing off one (1) arm

• Luke's useless friends call him "Wormy" apparently. I had read this fact in a trivia book previously, but wow. A lot of the fleshed-out deleted scenes really show that Luke was NOT a particularly popular fellow at Tosche Station.

• Chewbacca got a medal!

• There are SO many more explicitly narrated moments of Luke lusting after Leia. In the movie you can kind of ignore it even though Luke's crush is obvious subtext, but. It's impossible to ignore in this book.

• Leia says "You served the Old Republic in the Clone Wars" instead of "You served my father in the Clone Wars." OF ALL THE THINGS THAT CONTRADICT THE PREQUELS BACKSTORY... THIS DETAIL IS ACTUALLY MORE CORRECT.

• The constant spelling of "Artoo Detoo" and "See Threepio," while I acknowledge it is..... classic.... is also horrific and annoying .. . . . and should stop . . .

• Similarly, writing 'droid instead of just droid. Why? Nobody is thinking, "Ah, droid, the common vernacular shortening of ANDROID -- I was confused there for a second." There was even a time where the narration referred to Darth Vader's targeting 'putor. 'PUTOR. I....... . . .. . . . am disgusted.

• All the talk heavily implying that Anakin grew up on Tatooine with Owen Lars and they disagreed about the importance of farming. What if Anakin had grown up on Tatooine with Owen Lars? Would they have disagreed about the importance of farming? Where's the AU.

• Obi-Wan STRONGLY implies that Owen kept the truth about Anakin from Luke because he was afraid it might influence Luke to leave Tatooine. When like... it seems that Owen might have reasonably had some slightly better reasons. Like maybe the fact that he loved Luke and wanted to protect him from the many galactic evils that would be VERY interested in killing him. I know that these discrepancies exist because it's pre-prequels canon... but I am honestly deeply tempted to interpret them as Obi-Wan being a huge liar.

• The foreword tells us that Palpatine became the first emperor, but apparently there were supposed to be many subsequent emperors? Who were powerless pawns of the bureaucracy and not Sith Lords? Interesting.

• Somebody is very speciesist against Jawas.

• Um, yes. I guess it was a while back. I'm never going to get over this.

[Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating to read this translation of Lucas's novel. Some interesting moments of adaptation, some clear moments of breakdown (when the intention of the source text was clearly lost), some curious choices, such as:

--Choosing to use human plural endings and syntax for the droids.
--Shifting Darth Vader's name to "Don Vader" (with a long explanation about why)
--Always rendering the term "the Force" as "القوة الطبيعية" and consequently emphasizing the importance of the Jedis' connection with nature.

There's much more to be said, but I'll save that for the full-length article.

Overall, a very enjoyable read!

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Remember, the Force will be with you... always." - Obi-Wan Kenobi, posthumously. And thus a legend was born--the film that started it all. Ah, yes, the classic, one of my most favorites that is fun and easy to read and watch, especially when you know who came up with this idea in the first place if he's very well-known and remembered.

First things first, allow me to say that I am a true Star Wars nerd. I have been in love with Star Wars my entire life. It was an important film I had to see, because it forever changed filmmaking. George Lucas is a real legend, and he is one of my favorite directors/producers/screenwriters. It all began in 1971 with THX-1138. The corporation known as THX is named after, and has allusions to, THX-1138. There is also a very interesting reference to the title of the film in this novel, as well as in the film, where one of the Death Star officers was referred to as "THX 1138". But, anyway, let's not waste any more time caring about that, and stay focused on the force. Let's review this sci-fi gem.

So, it's the year 0 BBY and The Imperial Forces under orders from the cruel Darth Vader hold Princess Leia hostage in their efforts to quell the rebellion against the Galactic Empire. Moisture farmer Luke Skywalker, Jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi and smuggler Han Solo, captain of the Millennium Falcon, work together with the companionable droid duo of R2-D2 and C-3PO to rescue the beautiful princess, help the Rebel Alliance and restore freedom and justice to the galaxy.

The force is so strong with A New Hope, also known originally as From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker (who is one of my favorite characters), because, without a doubt, this is the most iconic franchise of all time. Back in 1973 – while developing Star Wars – the legend George Lucas (also known as the God of Hollywood) described his ambitious work-in-progress as a combination of 2001: A Space Odyssey , the James Bond films, and Lawrence of Arabia. This has a good mix of action, adventure, drama, and even humor. It was a very easy read, even for me, even if you know the entire film very well. The impressive concept of the heroes' journey on the intergalactic war is very interesting. And there are very emotional and touching moments, including Obi-Wan's sacrifice and the destruction of Alderaan. However, the scene where Han Solo says that the Death Star is too big to be a space station doesn't make any sense as space stations can come in any size due being constructions.

As for the characters, Luke Skywalker, as mentioned before, is one of my favorite characters, as he is one of all the iconic heroes throughout. He evolves from a whiny brat to an adventurous hero as the story progresses. He was initially named "Annikin Starkiller" (that sounds like a very cool name indeed), but to make the film family-friendly, they changed his name from "Starkiller" to "Skywalker". His father, however, uses the initial first name "Annikin". Another favorite character of mine is the legendary Han Solo, who is a rebellious criminal with a hidden heart of gold. The famous legend Obi-Wan Kenobi is a wise Jedi master who knew Luke's father, Annikin Skywalker, and teaches Luke on how to use the Force. The robots C-3PO and R2-D2 are hilarious and often useful comic relief characters. And of course, there's Princess Leia, whose is a fearsome warrior and textbook strong female character, and also the only human female character (besides Luke's auntie Beru, but nope, she doesn't get much development, uh-uh). Even Darth Vader is a captivating and formidable antagonist.

Essential symbolism is also present throughout. The Force is meant to be a power that requires faith. The ethos of the Jedi is similar to real-world religions such as Taoism. The Empire, contrasted to the Rebels, puts their faith in the Death Star and depends on Vader and Grand Moff Tarkin. The Empire's generals also wears clothing similar to the German Empire from World War I, which represents the Empire as basically Nazis in space; furthering this point, they also use a lot of black and red, and the Stormtroopers are basically bodyguards for the troop leader. Speaking of those, color's also an important factor, too. Vader and the Empire's highest members wear black, Luke and Leia wear white, and Han wears a combination of black and white since he's the anti-hero with a rebellious side. The Stormtroopers may wear white on the outside, but you can see the black underneath their shell, hinting they may be hiding something underneath their façade.

This pays as a homage to various others media, such as films and books made before this one, including, but not limited to: Dune , The Adventures of Robin Hood , The Wonderful Wizard of Oz , Lawrence of Arabia , and of course, as mentioned earlier, 2001: A Space Odyssey (that's another sci-fi masterpiece which focuses on life beyond our own; also one of my all-time favorites). Metropolis has a fringe element desperately at odds against a ruling class, and Maschinenmensch, the iconic female robot who looks eerily similar to C-3PO. Triumph of the Will (1936) has a scene where the protagonists are paraded through a room full of soldiers and given medals for their heroism, which Star Wars would later re-create for the ending of the their film. The Searchers has a scene where the main hero returns to his main home, only to find it in ruins and his family dead from an attack from the main antagonistic force; this is similar to Luke returning home to find that Stormtroopers have killed his aunt and uncle. The Hidden Fortress (1960) has a pair of peasants that are awfully similar to C-3PO and R2-D2 escaping a battle. They both have battle-hardened generals who work with a princess in a rebellion (Obi-Wan for Star Wars and Rokurota Makabe for The Hidden Fortress). Both generals also have to fight against an old rival from their past, and there's constant horizontal wipe transitions. And, to top it all off, Flash Gordon was George Lucas' first idea before creating Star Wars. When he couldn't license it, he borrowed a lot from the serials. Flash Gordon features the prince and Flash disguising themselves as enemy soldiers to enter the evil Emperor's fortress, while Star Wars has Han and Luke dressed as Stormtroopers at one point. Also, Darth Vader and the Death Star are partially based on Ming the Merciless and his planet Mongo. Both films also have an attractive space princess, a big, hairy humanoid alien, a sky city run by an ally with dubious loyalty, space dogfights and even an opening text crawl.


Now, about the film: Star Wars was named one of the 50 Greatest American Films by the American Film Institute as part of AFI's 10th anniversary celebration. That was in 1977 – while the film was still in theaters, of course. The original 1977 theatrical release of Star Wars featured neither the episode number nor the subtitle: A New Hope--not until 1981, the same year Raiders of the Lost Ark first released, when this film was rereleased the first time. The posters, like the one pictured here, became some of the most iconic in sci-fi history. The film opens up a world of possibilities of what may be creative worlds outside of ours. The special effects are visually stunning by mid-to-late seventies standards, and is one of if not the main reason this movie and franchise instantly became popular and iconic. The action scenes are awesome by mid-to-late seventies standards as well. The lead actors (Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Alec Guinness) all do great performances. Interestingly, Robby Benson auditioned to play Luke Skywalker (and I wish he got this role; don't get me wrong, Mark Hamill did a great job but he was a bit too old to play Luke). James Earl Jones' voice performance as Darth Vader is outstanding. John Williams' score is fantastic and unforgettable. Especially the movie's main theme, as well as the music in the later films. Although most of the aspects of the movie are great (as mentioned above), they sadly haven't aged well, such as the effects, models and sets. With good use of visual storytelling, awesome cinematography, great pacing, and the perfect ending, let's end this review with some of the most iconic and memorable dialogue:
"The force is strong with this one"
"But I was going into Tosche Station to pick up some power converters!"
"Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're our only hope."
"You fought in the Clone Wars?"
"A more elegant weapon in a civilized age."
"When I left you, I was, but the learner, and now I am the master."
"Strike me down, Darth, and I will become more powerful than you could ever imagine."
"I have a bad feeling about this."
"Good luck, and may the force be with you."
"Use the force, Luke."
"That's no moon...it's a space station."
"What a piece of junk."

So there you go: my official Star Wars review for A New Hope. Now, Join Us and Together We'll Read the Whole Saga!

[Marc *Dark Reader with a Thousand Young! Iä!*]

I read this some time in my 'tweens and even back then thought, George Lucas couldn't have actually written the novel, could he? I didn't know about ghostwriters back then (uncredited on the edition I had at the time.)

[sologdin · Rating 1 out of 5]

fundamentalists disagree with totalitarian architectural project, blow it up with audience approval, similar to the fountainhead.

[✨Rebel Fairy Hiatus · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I find this lack of faith disturbing."

This movie novelization has nothing extra to add to the galaxy. It has little add ons or something extra in the pages.

The characters felt a little two-dimensional. No extra thought process or emotions added. I felt this was a replica of the movie even though it wasn't word for word but . . . Scene for scene.

After reading the prequel trilogy, there are small plot holes that can be explained rationally, like how Artoo is a new model and Owen wanted Anakin to mind farming.

I don't know how Lord Vader managed to drink from a cup, but I will try and figure it out later. (Or never).

To me, this novel is a collection piece :) The writing wasn't spectacular, but it will remain a classic because this is where everything started.