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Star Wars Original Trilogy
Luke Skywalker dreamed of adventures out among the stars and alien worlds. But when he intercepted a message from a beautiful captive princess, he got more than he had bargained for—and that was how the adventure of his life began. . . .
Forty years after the groundbreaking movie Star Wars: A New Hope first hit the silver screen, Star Wars remains one of the most beloved sagas ever told. Together, the three original Star Wars movies A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi told one epic: a heroic tale of innocence lost and wisdom gained, of downfall and redemption, of the never-ending fight between the forces of good and evil. Read the story of the movies in one paperback volume and rediscover the wonder of the legend that begins:
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away . . .
Forty years after the groundbreaking movie Star Wars: A New Hope first hit the silver screen, Star Wars remains one of the most beloved sagas ever told. Together, the three original Star Wars movies A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi told one epic: a heroic tale of innocence lost and wisdom gained, of downfall and redemption, of the never-ending fight between the forces of good and evil. Read the story of the movies in one paperback volume and rediscover the wonder of the legend that begins:
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away . . .
688 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1983
1287 people are currently reading
8728 people want to read
About the author
George Lucas
266 books603 followersGeorge 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 427 reviews
June 30, 2022
The hubby got me this trilogy of novelizations for my Christmas present. I’m not usually one for novelizations. I don’t find that the authors take the time to build a story under the visual one shown in the movie. A novel isn’t just about what goes on that we can see and hear; it’s also about what the characters feel and think. Those aren’t easily shown in a movie so authors of novelizations don’t tend to include them in their version. Luckily, this was not the case with these books. Even better, I got to do a buddy read with my lovely hubby. Those who read together, stay together.
George Lucas, the king of merchandising, wanted to come out with novels based on the scripts prior to the movies coming out. That’s what’s so great about these novels - they have so many elements that didn’t make it into the movies. There are added characters or sections where we learn more about the characters in the cantina, on Hoth, in Jabba’s palace, on the Death Star. We get to hear the deeper feelings and thoughts of all the characters we love: Luke, Leia, Han, Chewie, Lando, R2-D2, C-3PO, and even Vader. Luke is such a layered character; his depth, how young he really is, the arc of his growth, it was such a great narrative for the young hero. Leia and Han’s relationship is beautiful and there are some scenes on the Falcon and Endor that are gorgeously romantic. Hearing a droid’s thoughts and feelings definitely added humor. The training on Dagobah is much more detailed than we get in the movie, which makes more sense. The changes and additions added so much more enjoyment to a story I already loved.
While I enjoyed A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, The Return of the Jedi was by far the superior novel. It was so well written and there are some beautiful sections that tug at the heart. I love the movies, but it was so nice to have this unique experience of reading something both familiar and new.
George Lucas, the king of merchandising, wanted to come out with novels based on the scripts prior to the movies coming out. That’s what’s so great about these novels - they have so many elements that didn’t make it into the movies. There are added characters or sections where we learn more about the characters in the cantina, on Hoth, in Jabba’s palace, on the Death Star. We get to hear the deeper feelings and thoughts of all the characters we love: Luke, Leia, Han, Chewie, Lando, R2-D2, C-3PO, and even Vader. Luke is such a layered character; his depth, how young he really is, the arc of his growth, it was such a great narrative for the young hero. Leia and Han’s relationship is beautiful and there are some scenes on the Falcon and Endor that are gorgeously romantic. Hearing a droid’s thoughts and feelings definitely added humor. The training on Dagobah is much more detailed than we get in the movie, which makes more sense. The changes and additions added so much more enjoyment to a story I already loved.
While I enjoyed A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, The Return of the Jedi was by far the superior novel. It was so well written and there are some beautiful sections that tug at the heart. I love the movies, but it was so nice to have this unique experience of reading something both familiar and new.
May 6, 2018
The Force is strong here!
This was the edition that I actually read for the Original Trilogy, but I did separate reviews of each Episode contained here.
I did review of each Episode (IV, V & VI) featured here in this edition, just look for the separate novelization of each Star Wars movie of the Original trilogy, and you'll be able to read about my thoughts on each Episode, along with the differences found on each of those said Episodes in comparison with the theatrical films.
This was the edition that I actually read for the Original Trilogy, but I did separate reviews of each Episode contained here.
I did review of each Episode (IV, V & VI) featured here in this edition, just look for the separate novelization of each Star Wars movie of the Original trilogy, and you'll be able to read about my thoughts on each Episode, along with the differences found on each of those said Episodes in comparison with the theatrical films.
August 27, 2025
Sono cresciuto a pane e trilogia classica di Star Wars.
Da adoratore della trilogia non potevo farmi scappare l'opportunità di leggere la sua versione cartacea ed eccomi finalmente a darne un'opinione. Ammetto che rimanere obiettivo nel giudicare questi romanzi non è stato facile.
Scritta dalla penna dal ghost writer Alan Dean Foster sulla sceneggiatura di Lucas, si tratta della trasposizione romanzata in tutto e per tutto identica ai tre film.
L'effetto è esattamente quello di rivivere la storia passo dopo passo, battute ed eventi in sequenza che seppur appagante risulta tuttavia appena sufficiente.
La vera mancanza si nota nello stile di scrittura che appare davvero troppo semplice, limitandosi a raccontare quello visto nei film.
La narrazione, come la sua controparte filmata, risulta piena di azione, con luoghi affascinanti e con protagonisti con la quale è impossibile non empatizzare: Luke il giovane che con coraggio cresce e diventa uomo ed eroe, Ian Solo il simpatico sbruffone, abile e con un grande cuore, memorabili i sui duetti con la giovane Leila, ragazza combattiva dal forte carisma, stereotipo femminile che ritroviamo in molte eroine presenti nei romanzi degli ultimi anni.
In definitiva però fa solo quello, né più né meno, è piacevole e leggero ma non va oltre. Una lettura che intrattiene ma non aggiunge nulla ai film.
Da adoratore della trilogia non potevo farmi scappare l'opportunità di leggere la sua versione cartacea ed eccomi finalmente a darne un'opinione. Ammetto che rimanere obiettivo nel giudicare questi romanzi non è stato facile.
Scritta dalla penna dal ghost writer Alan Dean Foster sulla sceneggiatura di Lucas, si tratta della trasposizione romanzata in tutto e per tutto identica ai tre film.
L'effetto è esattamente quello di rivivere la storia passo dopo passo, battute ed eventi in sequenza che seppur appagante risulta tuttavia appena sufficiente.
La vera mancanza si nota nello stile di scrittura che appare davvero troppo semplice, limitandosi a raccontare quello visto nei film.
La narrazione, come la sua controparte filmata, risulta piena di azione, con luoghi affascinanti e con protagonisti con la quale è impossibile non empatizzare: Luke il giovane che con coraggio cresce e diventa uomo ed eroe, Ian Solo il simpatico sbruffone, abile e con un grande cuore, memorabili i sui duetti con la giovane Leila, ragazza combattiva dal forte carisma, stereotipo femminile che ritroviamo in molte eroine presenti nei romanzi degli ultimi anni.
In definitiva però fa solo quello, né più né meno, è piacevole e leggero ma non va oltre. Una lettura che intrattiene ma non aggiunge nulla ai film.
May 26, 2010
WARNING: This is not a review of the books. I plan to write those separately someday. This is, rather, a review of the original Star Wars Trilogy catalyzed by the final episode of Lost. Please don't bother reading this if you're looking for a book review. Thanks.
About twenty years ago, I found myself in a debate about the merits of the Star Wars Trilogy with a guy named Bill (at least I think that was his name. Let’s call him Bill) and my friend Dave. Bill was trying to convince us that the Trilogy was garbage, and Dave and I, proud bearers of nearly matching Star Wars tattoos – his signifying his love for Luke Skywalker and mine signifying my love for Han Solo (more on the tattoo later) – were fighting to defend its excellence. We had a serious reason for our impassioned defence.
But Bill was determined to make us see the error of our ways. He attacked the series’ kindergarten plotting, its crappy dialogue, its special effects obfuscation, its dearth of character development, its terribly pacing, and its general glorification of style over substance. He made a number of valid points, and I was willing to listen (much more willing than Dave who has always had far too much emotion invested in the series to have its greatness assailed) until Bill engaged in this fatal rhetorical device: “It’s because you’re young guys. You watched this when you were kids and you’re nostalgic. Some day you’ll grow up and see that you’re wrong.”
The willingness to listen shut right down, and I carried on debating with a particular focus on character development. Back then there was no Special Edition (and no Prequel to make my defence impossible). Han Solo hadn’t lost the beginning of his arc. He had killed Greedo in cold blood. There was no first shot/self-defence reimagining of the scene from Lucas. So Han Solo showed a clear development from criminal drug smuggler to uncomfortable rebel to passionate lover to loyal friend to self-sacrificing hero. That’s some pretty fair character growth, and even Bill had to concede my point, admitting that he’d missed some of those subtleties, mostly because he’d only seen each movie once, but he stood by his assessment of the Trilogy; it was crap and one good character arc wasn’t going to change that.
The years passed and that debate with Bill became a file locked in my personal databanks. I never had any reason to reopen it. The Special Editions came along and I hated them. It didn’t matter, though, because I still had copies of the original movies, and I could ignore Lucas’ tampering without any difficulty. Then the Prequels came along and I hated them more. But I still had my perceived greatness of the Trilogy to fall back on, so I could simply shake my head at Prequel fans and enjoy my love of the originals.
Then I watched the final episode of Lost, and suddenly my Bill file downloaded into my consciousness. And you know what? He was right. My love for the Star Wars Trilogy was nostalgia.
What I saw in the final episode of Lost was what I should have seen all those years ago in the Trilogy. I saw a show that flattered us to deceive. I saw a series that aspired to be about “characters” but was so about plot (and though its plot was convoluted it wasn’t particularly deep) that the supposedly complex characters boiled down to pretty straightforward redemption stereotypes. I saw production value obfuscation with wide vistas, globe-trotting adventures, blazing guns, smoke monsters and pseudo-spiritual claptrap hiding a deeply banal Daddy-Son reconciliation tale. I saw a pop-culture event that destroyed whatever substance it had with a pandering finale. Is it any surprise that Lost was littered with references to Star Wars or that David Lindeloff grew up loving George Lucas’ mess as much as the rest of us? Seems fitting to me.
So what’s the point of all this? Well...Lost made me see that Bill had it right about me and Star Wars all those years ago. Lost is crap, and so was Star Wars. I was a boy who fell in love with vapid screen candy and my defence of Lucas’ uber-popular mess was and is all about nostalgia.
But I’ll not be defending the series any longer (okay...I may still defend Empire Strikes Back, which is an excellent film. Thanks, Irving Kirshner, for being a real director). Beyond its lack of artistic merit and Lucas’ disregard for the simplest rules of continuity, I have seen little boys indoctrinated into violence simply by watching Jedis train. I’ve seen Star Wars entrench an overly simplistic view of good and evil in our society, which is dangerous in the extreme. And I’ve watched the entire series change the face of film in the most unhealthy ways.
I know this is heresy. I know there’s going to be many of you out there, kind readers, who will disagree and that’s okay. I am finally at peace with my feelings about the Trilogy, and I feel great relief being able to say that the Trilogy is a big steaming pile of Bantha droppings.
And for those of you who are pitying me and my tattoo, don’t worry. The tattoo was always more about Harrison Ford than Han Solo. I can live with the ink in my skin despite my new found disdain for Star Wars.
p.s. Can I just add that I feel terribly sad about having lost these movies? There, I said it. Thank the gods I still have Indiana Jones.
About twenty years ago, I found myself in a debate about the merits of the Star Wars Trilogy with a guy named Bill (at least I think that was his name. Let’s call him Bill) and my friend Dave. Bill was trying to convince us that the Trilogy was garbage, and Dave and I, proud bearers of nearly matching Star Wars tattoos – his signifying his love for Luke Skywalker and mine signifying my love for Han Solo (more on the tattoo later) – were fighting to defend its excellence. We had a serious reason for our impassioned defence.
But Bill was determined to make us see the error of our ways. He attacked the series’ kindergarten plotting, its crappy dialogue, its special effects obfuscation, its dearth of character development, its terribly pacing, and its general glorification of style over substance. He made a number of valid points, and I was willing to listen (much more willing than Dave who has always had far too much emotion invested in the series to have its greatness assailed) until Bill engaged in this fatal rhetorical device: “It’s because you’re young guys. You watched this when you were kids and you’re nostalgic. Some day you’ll grow up and see that you’re wrong.”
The willingness to listen shut right down, and I carried on debating with a particular focus on character development. Back then there was no Special Edition (and no Prequel to make my defence impossible). Han Solo hadn’t lost the beginning of his arc. He had killed Greedo in cold blood. There was no first shot/self-defence reimagining of the scene from Lucas. So Han Solo showed a clear development from criminal drug smuggler to uncomfortable rebel to passionate lover to loyal friend to self-sacrificing hero. That’s some pretty fair character growth, and even Bill had to concede my point, admitting that he’d missed some of those subtleties, mostly because he’d only seen each movie once, but he stood by his assessment of the Trilogy; it was crap and one good character arc wasn’t going to change that.
The years passed and that debate with Bill became a file locked in my personal databanks. I never had any reason to reopen it. The Special Editions came along and I hated them. It didn’t matter, though, because I still had copies of the original movies, and I could ignore Lucas’ tampering without any difficulty. Then the Prequels came along and I hated them more. But I still had my perceived greatness of the Trilogy to fall back on, so I could simply shake my head at Prequel fans and enjoy my love of the originals.
Then I watched the final episode of Lost, and suddenly my Bill file downloaded into my consciousness. And you know what? He was right. My love for the Star Wars Trilogy was nostalgia.
What I saw in the final episode of Lost was what I should have seen all those years ago in the Trilogy. I saw a show that flattered us to deceive. I saw a series that aspired to be about “characters” but was so about plot (and though its plot was convoluted it wasn’t particularly deep) that the supposedly complex characters boiled down to pretty straightforward redemption stereotypes. I saw production value obfuscation with wide vistas, globe-trotting adventures, blazing guns, smoke monsters and pseudo-spiritual claptrap hiding a deeply banal Daddy-Son reconciliation tale. I saw a pop-culture event that destroyed whatever substance it had with a pandering finale. Is it any surprise that Lost was littered with references to Star Wars or that David Lindeloff grew up loving George Lucas’ mess as much as the rest of us? Seems fitting to me.
So what’s the point of all this? Well...Lost made me see that Bill had it right about me and Star Wars all those years ago. Lost is crap, and so was Star Wars. I was a boy who fell in love with vapid screen candy and my defence of Lucas’ uber-popular mess was and is all about nostalgia.
But I’ll not be defending the series any longer (okay...I may still defend Empire Strikes Back, which is an excellent film. Thanks, Irving Kirshner, for being a real director). Beyond its lack of artistic merit and Lucas’ disregard for the simplest rules of continuity, I have seen little boys indoctrinated into violence simply by watching Jedis train. I’ve seen Star Wars entrench an overly simplistic view of good and evil in our society, which is dangerous in the extreme. And I’ve watched the entire series change the face of film in the most unhealthy ways.
I know this is heresy. I know there’s going to be many of you out there, kind readers, who will disagree and that’s okay. I am finally at peace with my feelings about the Trilogy, and I feel great relief being able to say that the Trilogy is a big steaming pile of Bantha droppings.
And for those of you who are pitying me and my tattoo, don’t worry. The tattoo was always more about Harrison Ford than Han Solo. I can live with the ink in my skin despite my new found disdain for Star Wars.
p.s. Can I just add that I feel terribly sad about having lost these movies? There, I said it. Thank the gods I still have Indiana Jones.
unread-forever
March 28, 2015Episode IV: A New Hope
Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Want to read
December 25, 2015Star Wars -The Force Awakens was incredible, but I have questions......and we have to wait until 2017???
January 11, 2018
Yoda is in fact, BLUE.
That is all. Let the stars speak for themselves.
That is all. Let the stars speak for themselves.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2019
Honestly, this rating is not about the writing or literary talent...
It's only about my Star Wars Fandom which relates to the original series only!
It's only about my Star Wars Fandom which relates to the original series only!
February 25, 2020
"Episode IV
A NEW HOPE
It is a period of civil war. Rebel spaceships, striking from a hidden base, have won their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire. During the battle, Rebel spies managed to steal secret plans to the Empire’s ultimate weapon, the DEATH STAR, an armored space station with enough power to destroy an entire planet. Pursued by the Empire’s sinister agents, Princess Leia races home aboard her starship, custodian of the stolen plans that can save her people and restore freedom to the galaxy…." If you have seen the film you have read the book, there isn't a great deal different, but after seeing the film dozens of times I still rather enjoyed the book. There was a little more expansion on Luke's and Biggs' relationship, but nothing more was added. Still I enjoyed this and will definitely will be reading the rest...3 1/2 🌟
"Episode V
THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
It is a dark time for the Rebellion. Although the Death Star has been destroyed, Imperial troops have driven the Rebel forces from their hidden base and pursued them
cross the galaxy. Evading the dreaded Imperial Starfleet, a group of freedom fighters led by Luke
Skywalker has established a new secret base on the remote ice world of Hoth. The evil lord Darth Vader, obsessed with finding young Skywalker, has dispatched thousands of remote probes into the far reaches of space...." Much like A New Hope, if you have seen the film them the book is very much the same, although A New Hope expanded on one or two points this is pretty much the film to a tee, still being a Star Wars fan I really enjoyed it, reading the book is like going through the film with a fine toothed comb, and being a Star Wars geek I like that and look forward to the conclusion of this trilogy...3 🌟
Episode IV
RETURN OF THE JEDI
Luke Skywalker has returned to his home planet of Tatooine in an attempt to rescue his friend Han Solo from the clutches of the vile gangster Jabba the Hutt. Little does Luke know that the GALACTIC EMPIRE has secretly begun construction on a new armored space station even more powerful than the first dreaded Death Star. When completed, this ultimate weapon will spell certain doom for the small band of rebels struggling to restore
freedom to the galaxy... Similar to the previous two entries the book doesn't little to expand on the story but does offer a little insight into the Ewoks, and has a few pieces of dialogue between the characters that are not in the film. After reading, it did make me realize how little happens in this installment...3🌟
Over all I will give this 4 🌟, it is Star Wars after all...
A NEW HOPE
It is a period of civil war. Rebel spaceships, striking from a hidden base, have won their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire. During the battle, Rebel spies managed to steal secret plans to the Empire’s ultimate weapon, the DEATH STAR, an armored space station with enough power to destroy an entire planet. Pursued by the Empire’s sinister agents, Princess Leia races home aboard her starship, custodian of the stolen plans that can save her people and restore freedom to the galaxy…." If you have seen the film you have read the book, there isn't a great deal different, but after seeing the film dozens of times I still rather enjoyed the book. There was a little more expansion on Luke's and Biggs' relationship, but nothing more was added. Still I enjoyed this and will definitely will be reading the rest...3 1/2 🌟
"Episode V
THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
It is a dark time for the Rebellion. Although the Death Star has been destroyed, Imperial troops have driven the Rebel forces from their hidden base and pursued them
cross the galaxy. Evading the dreaded Imperial Starfleet, a group of freedom fighters led by Luke
Skywalker has established a new secret base on the remote ice world of Hoth. The evil lord Darth Vader, obsessed with finding young Skywalker, has dispatched thousands of remote probes into the far reaches of space...." Much like A New Hope, if you have seen the film them the book is very much the same, although A New Hope expanded on one or two points this is pretty much the film to a tee, still being a Star Wars fan I really enjoyed it, reading the book is like going through the film with a fine toothed comb, and being a Star Wars geek I like that and look forward to the conclusion of this trilogy...3 🌟
Episode IV
RETURN OF THE JEDI
Luke Skywalker has returned to his home planet of Tatooine in an attempt to rescue his friend Han Solo from the clutches of the vile gangster Jabba the Hutt. Little does Luke know that the GALACTIC EMPIRE has secretly begun construction on a new armored space station even more powerful than the first dreaded Death Star. When completed, this ultimate weapon will spell certain doom for the small band of rebels struggling to restore
freedom to the galaxy... Similar to the previous two entries the book doesn't little to expand on the story but does offer a little insight into the Ewoks, and has a few pieces of dialogue between the characters that are not in the film. After reading, it did make me realize how little happens in this installment...3🌟
Over all I will give this 4 🌟, it is Star Wars after all...
February 12, 2020
Classic what else can I say, well you all know the story anyways.
Good job lol !
Good job lol !
September 29, 2021
This collection of novelizations of the original trilogy of the Star Wars franchise is based on film scripts that Alan Dean Foster (ghostwriting for George Lucas), Donald F. Glut, and James Kahn used to bring the films to the printed page. Ultimately only Glut’s treatment of The Empire Strikes Back is the best of the bunch as it was readable, and the characterizations were good. Unfortunately, Dean’s Star Wars and Kahn’s Return of the Jedi while each having one good thing to them were overwhelmed by either poor writing or horrible internalization of characters along with a myriad of other issues to go along side them. I would recommend watching the films over the reading this collection if you’re a general reader, but if you want to dip your toe into the novelizations go for The Empire Strikes Back.
Star Wars by George Lucas
The Empire Strikes Back by Donald F. Glut 3/5
Return of the Jedi by James Kahn 2/5
Star Wars by George Lucas
The Empire Strikes Back by Donald F. Glut 3/5
Return of the Jedi by James Kahn 2/5
February 14, 2019
Had a lot of fun reading through these. Was good to see the similarities and differences with the films. Return of the Jedi may have been the best out of the three
February 8, 2017
A New Hope: A fun, breezy read reminiscent of the pulp science-fiction of yesteryear, with the famous cast of characters we all know and love. It doesn't add to the film, but it's an enjoyable romp nonetheless.
The Empire Strikes Back: This is almost literally the film's script with a few added adjectives. While the edgy, dark story is still intact, this novelization brings nothing new to the table. And also, Yoda is blue for some reason.
The Return of the Jedi: Easily one of the best Star Wars film novelizations in the saga (right up there with Matthew Stover's rendition of Revenge of the Sith), it's action-packed, humorous, and even touching in all the right places.
*Like other reviewers have mentioned, Return of the Jedi's novelization contains information and backstory that directly contradicts the canon established in the prequel trilogy. If you're one of those folks who doesn't consider the prequels canon, then there's no issue. But if you're like me and have been reading all of the Star Wars film-novels in chronological order (Episode 1 and onward), then this information can be a little jarring. However, it is not a major issue and does not detract from the quality of the story. When I re-read this, I'll just know to skip those parts, or just read them as an "alternate universe/what could have been".
Overall, a highly enjoyable read, but the somewhat disappointing novelization of The Empire Strikes Back docks it a star. A must-have for anyone who is both a Star Wars fan and a bibliophile.
The Empire Strikes Back: This is almost literally the film's script with a few added adjectives. While the edgy, dark story is still intact, this novelization brings nothing new to the table. And also, Yoda is blue for some reason.
The Return of the Jedi: Easily one of the best Star Wars film novelizations in the saga (right up there with Matthew Stover's rendition of Revenge of the Sith), it's action-packed, humorous, and even touching in all the right places.
*Like other reviewers have mentioned, Return of the Jedi's novelization contains information and backstory that directly contradicts the canon established in the prequel trilogy. If you're one of those folks who doesn't consider the prequels canon, then there's no issue. But if you're like me and have been reading all of the Star Wars film-novels in chronological order (Episode 1 and onward), then this information can be a little jarring. However, it is not a major issue and does not detract from the quality of the story. When I re-read this, I'll just know to skip those parts, or just read them as an "alternate universe/what could have been".
Overall, a highly enjoyable read, but the somewhat disappointing novelization of The Empire Strikes Back docks it a star. A must-have for anyone who is both a Star Wars fan and a bibliophile.
January 22, 2013
This is for the Barnes & Noble leather-bound edition.
I initially received this as a Christmas gift from some good friends of mine and I immediately began to crack down and read it. I'm a big Star Wars fan and I've never had a chance to read any novelization set in the original Galactic Civil War.
I was prepared to simply relive the Big Three, but became curious when I discovered that the novelization of A New Hope is actually the ORIGINAL Novelization from 1977 that was based on an earlier version of the script. It's interesting to see some scenes that didn't make the final cut, as well as different versions of classic scenes. But some scenes, like Luke hanging out with his friends at a bar/club on Tatooine, drags a bit on and sort of muddles the plot a bit. But other than that, it's still the same great movie we all know and love.
Empire Strikes Back has always been my favorite movie. It's darker, gritter and more intense than the other two. This version is a bit quicker paced than A New Hope (About 60 or so pages shorter), moves briskly and really drives home the feeling of panic the characters go through. Unlike A New Hope, it's a fairly straight-forward adaptation. It does offer some great insight into the minds of the characters, especially Darth Vader.
Finally, we round it out with what I've always considered to be the weakest of the series, Return of the Jedi. But, ironically, this novelization is my favorite of the three! The author even makes Ewoks look competent! The action runs smoothly and the final confrontation of Darth Vader vs Luke Skywalker adds a new twist, as we get their complete thoughts and mental preparations. It makes it that much more intense.
This is a good book and if you're a fan of Star Wars, do yourself a favor and check it out. 4 out of 5 dead Gungans.
I initially received this as a Christmas gift from some good friends of mine and I immediately began to crack down and read it. I'm a big Star Wars fan and I've never had a chance to read any novelization set in the original Galactic Civil War.
I was prepared to simply relive the Big Three, but became curious when I discovered that the novelization of A New Hope is actually the ORIGINAL Novelization from 1977 that was based on an earlier version of the script. It's interesting to see some scenes that didn't make the final cut, as well as different versions of classic scenes. But some scenes, like Luke hanging out with his friends at a bar/club on Tatooine, drags a bit on and sort of muddles the plot a bit. But other than that, it's still the same great movie we all know and love.
Empire Strikes Back has always been my favorite movie. It's darker, gritter and more intense than the other two. This version is a bit quicker paced than A New Hope (About 60 or so pages shorter), moves briskly and really drives home the feeling of panic the characters go through. Unlike A New Hope, it's a fairly straight-forward adaptation. It does offer some great insight into the minds of the characters, especially Darth Vader.
Finally, we round it out with what I've always considered to be the weakest of the series, Return of the Jedi. But, ironically, this novelization is my favorite of the three! The author even makes Ewoks look competent! The action runs smoothly and the final confrontation of Darth Vader vs Luke Skywalker adds a new twist, as we get their complete thoughts and mental preparations. It makes it that much more intense.
This is a good book and if you're a fan of Star Wars, do yourself a favor and check it out. 4 out of 5 dead Gungans.
June 17, 2020
First, the last book.
I really enjoyed it. Not as much as Empire Strikes Back, but it was good and the ending was very fulfilling. The death of Darth Vader was definitely sadder than in the movie, it went on for longer and definitely made me feel for him. The author, as I said before, I really liked. His writing style was interesting and kept me wanting to read more, though again writing out sounds is dumb. I’m pretty sure Leia and Han have sex in the forest after the Death Star blows up, which is kinda gross but hey, you gotta do what you gotta do.
The characters?
Didn’t grow much from Empire. Luke got a lot wiser and less whiny, which definitely improved him. Han got more soppy, which did the opposite. The rest were about the same.
Things I liked?
During Lando’s parts, he makes a lot of comparisons to gambling. As he is a gambler, this makes him interesting and gives him the feeling of having a personality.
Probably my favourite part of the book is on pages 417 to 419, when the gang is trying to persuade the Ewoks to fight with them against the Empire. It was really enjoyable and it showed the reasons why the characters fight and it was just so good. Also, in the movie the Ewoks just fight with them, and it’s kinda assumed that it’s because they’re all buddies. But this gives a real, valid reason why and I love that.
On page 433, when Darth Vader is leading Luke to the Emperor, Luke has this big dilemma of who to kill, the Emperor or Darth Vader. And it’s also a struggle with the dark side, and his wish for revenge but then his belief of good in Vader. It continues when the Emperor is goading him, and during the whole battle with Vader. Of course I know what’s going to happen, but I really enjoyed his dilemma and struggles, he’s NOT some pathetic boy from Tatooine, but a dude trying to make the ultimate decision. I love it.
On the outside of the Death Star, there is the space battle. On pages 440 to 441, Lando is flying around with the other guys and it’s confusing, because it doesn’t describe the battle at first, just has people shouting. It doesn’t say who’s shouting, it just has the sentences. And, surprisingly enough, I liked that. It made the actual battle seem more confusing, more busy, faster. And that’s what the battle was.
Lastly, is Moff Jerjerrod. They fleshed him out a little bit, talked a little from his point of view. I liked this, because it’s interesting seeing less important evil characters growing a little. I kinda wish the other authors had done the same for Grand Moff Tarkin, but maybe that’s just because I love Peter Cushing.
Things I didn’t like?
Everyone seems to know so many languages. Why? There’s so many planets…so many different languages…and they just happened to know the correct, useful language? Are the rebels getting language lessons in their spare time? I’m so glad I don’t live in this galaxy.
Also, kinda connected, in previous books few people understood R2-D2. In the prequels it was wonky, but we’re not talking about those. In these ones, only C-3PO and Luke’s X-Wing can understand him. And yet! All of a sudden! Leia can understand him, Han can understand him, C-3PO no longer needs to translate. It seems everyone has brushed up on their droid language.
Misc. thoughts?
On page 430, it mentions some Ewoks (the important ones, like Wicket and the chief) and it mentions an Ewok called Warwick. Firstly, that’s supposed to be Wicket’s last name, but it already mentioned him earlier in the list of Ewoks. This is the only time Warwick was mentioned in the books, which is also strange. I was wondering if it’s because in the movie Widget was played by Warwick Davies, and it was sorta an easter egg type thing? Kinda silly, but meh.
On the same page, Han says "with just those guards this should be easier than breaking a bantha." Banthas are only on Tatooine…so is Tatooine well known enough for people to be saying that, or did Han just make that up? Makes me think.
Series as a whole?
It was pretty good. I didn’t like the authors for the prequels, especially the one who wrote the first book, but the sequels were better. A New Hope also had a crappy writing style, but George Lucas is not an author sooo. But the prequels seemed kinda stale, Anakin was unlikable, Padmé was unlikable, Jar Jar was worse than in the movies. But Obi-Wan was A+++, though the author of the third book kinda messed that up a little. Sequels? C-3PO is annoying but better than Jar Jar, everyone was kinda a dick to R2-D2 in Empire Strikes Back which was sad, Han was a dick in the first book but redeemed himself, Leia is to uppity and needs to get off her high horse, Luke is whiny and about as annoying as C-3PO and even Return of the Jedi couldn’t completely fix that, Lando went through an amazing change between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, but he also does in the movies. Star Wars is a fairly shallow series to me, good versus evil and blah blah blah but it doesn’t seem to have many underlying themes, it’s just an action series. Which is cool cool cool, buuuuut I prefer more depth in my books. I guess we could go over Friendship is Magic and how they all become best buddies and learn how to trust each other but ew. It’s good for what it is, and there’s reasons why it’s such a popular movie series, but not super great books as a whole.
Would I read this again?
Yeah. Probably. Not for a little while, and I like the movies better, but sure.
How much would I like these if movies didn’t exist?
Meh. It was easy reading, not a lot of thought involved, the characters has personalities but didn’t really grow, didn’t describe anyone or anything well, so the series as a whole would probably be a 3 star. I would like them enough.
I really enjoyed it. Not as much as Empire Strikes Back, but it was good and the ending was very fulfilling. The death of Darth Vader was definitely sadder than in the movie, it went on for longer and definitely made me feel for him. The author, as I said before, I really liked. His writing style was interesting and kept me wanting to read more, though again writing out sounds is dumb. I’m pretty sure Leia and Han have sex in the forest after the Death Star blows up, which is kinda gross but hey, you gotta do what you gotta do.
The characters?
Didn’t grow much from Empire. Luke got a lot wiser and less whiny, which definitely improved him. Han got more soppy, which did the opposite. The rest were about the same.
Things I liked?
During Lando’s parts, he makes a lot of comparisons to gambling. As he is a gambler, this makes him interesting and gives him the feeling of having a personality.
Probably my favourite part of the book is on pages 417 to 419, when the gang is trying to persuade the Ewoks to fight with them against the Empire. It was really enjoyable and it showed the reasons why the characters fight and it was just so good. Also, in the movie the Ewoks just fight with them, and it’s kinda assumed that it’s because they’re all buddies. But this gives a real, valid reason why and I love that.
On page 433, when Darth Vader is leading Luke to the Emperor, Luke has this big dilemma of who to kill, the Emperor or Darth Vader. And it’s also a struggle with the dark side, and his wish for revenge but then his belief of good in Vader. It continues when the Emperor is goading him, and during the whole battle with Vader. Of course I know what’s going to happen, but I really enjoyed his dilemma and struggles, he’s NOT some pathetic boy from Tatooine, but a dude trying to make the ultimate decision. I love it.
On the outside of the Death Star, there is the space battle. On pages 440 to 441, Lando is flying around with the other guys and it’s confusing, because it doesn’t describe the battle at first, just has people shouting. It doesn’t say who’s shouting, it just has the sentences. And, surprisingly enough, I liked that. It made the actual battle seem more confusing, more busy, faster. And that’s what the battle was.
Lastly, is Moff Jerjerrod. They fleshed him out a little bit, talked a little from his point of view. I liked this, because it’s interesting seeing less important evil characters growing a little. I kinda wish the other authors had done the same for Grand Moff Tarkin, but maybe that’s just because I love Peter Cushing.
Things I didn’t like?
Everyone seems to know so many languages. Why? There’s so many planets…so many different languages…and they just happened to know the correct, useful language? Are the rebels getting language lessons in their spare time? I’m so glad I don’t live in this galaxy.
Also, kinda connected, in previous books few people understood R2-D2. In the prequels it was wonky, but we’re not talking about those. In these ones, only C-3PO and Luke’s X-Wing can understand him. And yet! All of a sudden! Leia can understand him, Han can understand him, C-3PO no longer needs to translate. It seems everyone has brushed up on their droid language.
Misc. thoughts?
On page 430, it mentions some Ewoks (the important ones, like Wicket and the chief) and it mentions an Ewok called Warwick. Firstly, that’s supposed to be Wicket’s last name, but it already mentioned him earlier in the list of Ewoks. This is the only time Warwick was mentioned in the books, which is also strange. I was wondering if it’s because in the movie Widget was played by Warwick Davies, and it was sorta an easter egg type thing? Kinda silly, but meh.
On the same page, Han says "with just those guards this should be easier than breaking a bantha." Banthas are only on Tatooine…so is Tatooine well known enough for people to be saying that, or did Han just make that up? Makes me think.
Series as a whole?
It was pretty good. I didn’t like the authors for the prequels, especially the one who wrote the first book, but the sequels were better. A New Hope also had a crappy writing style, but George Lucas is not an author sooo. But the prequels seemed kinda stale, Anakin was unlikable, Padmé was unlikable, Jar Jar was worse than in the movies. But Obi-Wan was A+++, though the author of the third book kinda messed that up a little. Sequels? C-3PO is annoying but better than Jar Jar, everyone was kinda a dick to R2-D2 in Empire Strikes Back which was sad, Han was a dick in the first book but redeemed himself, Leia is to uppity and needs to get off her high horse, Luke is whiny and about as annoying as C-3PO and even Return of the Jedi couldn’t completely fix that, Lando went through an amazing change between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, but he also does in the movies. Star Wars is a fairly shallow series to me, good versus evil and blah blah blah but it doesn’t seem to have many underlying themes, it’s just an action series. Which is cool cool cool, buuuuut I prefer more depth in my books. I guess we could go over Friendship is Magic and how they all become best buddies and learn how to trust each other but ew. It’s good for what it is, and there’s reasons why it’s such a popular movie series, but not super great books as a whole.
Would I read this again?
Yeah. Probably. Not for a little while, and I like the movies better, but sure.
How much would I like these if movies didn’t exist?
Meh. It was easy reading, not a lot of thought involved, the characters has personalities but didn’t really grow, didn’t describe anyone or anything well, so the series as a whole would probably be a 3 star. I would like them enough.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2020
The movies of the original Star Wars trilogy (Episodes 4-6) are some of my favorite movies, so I decided to try the novelizations. They're very close to the movies (they're based on George Lucas' scripts), but some of the dialogue is different, and there are a few additional scenes. The novelizations provide some valuable background information that the movies don't contain, so they're worth reading.
Here are my reviews of the 3 books:
Star Wars (A New Hope)
The Empire Strikes Back
Return of the Jedi
Here are my reviews of the 3 books:
Star Wars (A New Hope)
The Empire Strikes Back
Return of the Jedi
March 6, 2009
The writing style gets progressively worse as you move through these books. Eventually, I swore that Yoda was narrating. Just clumsy and weirdly worded.
December 28, 2022
Just AMAZING!!!! I had this still in the packaging for a whole year before I decided to read it and I was blown away!!! New fan of this series!!!
March 30, 2021
Se não há palavras para descrever o que vimos nas telas de cinema, igualmente existe uma pobreza de adjectivos que possam exprimir o que sentimos a ler este épico. Obrigado, George Lucas por fazeres parte da minha vida. Que a força permaneça connosco.
November 21, 2025
Loved it!!!!
If you are like me loving the films, then this is it...
Really good, I can only recommend it highly-
By the way, I'm back again.
I love you all guys there.
Looking forwards to enjoy together many many good books with you all...
Dean;)
If you are like me loving the films, then this is it...
Really good, I can only recommend it highly-
By the way, I'm back again.
I love you all guys there.
Looking forwards to enjoy together many many good books with you all...
Dean;)
April 9, 2008
As a longtime fan of Star Wars, it was a pleasure to read the novelizations of this beloved trilogy. One could almost hear the Millenium Falcon's engines as they soared into space, or that unique sound of the jedi lightsabers, or even recall various scenes from the movies as we read them in the books, the familiar lines coming to our lips. It gives an interesting sense of nostalgia.
It was particularly nice to read some missing scenes we never got to see in the movies, like a few more moments in Luke Skywalker's training by the Jedi Master Yoda, or impassioned speeches at an Ewok assembly that would eventually lead to their alliance with the Rebels in Endor. We got a close look at some of these character's motivations as the writers explored the character's minds. It made for a pretty interesting and entertaining reading.
The books are not without flaws, though. As should be expected of everything written before the prequels came out, there are some things that directly contradict the new canon established by the prequel movies, especially concerning Vader's knowledge of his wife's pregnancy. James Kahn's novelization of Return of the Jedi also has the annoying aspect of trying to write vocalizations that should never have been put into writing, like Chewbacca's growls or R2-D2's beeps and chirps. Still, by the time I read Darth Vader's death scene, I was actually crying, because it was impossible not to. Reading this has inspired me to go out and order some more Star Wars books...
It was particularly nice to read some missing scenes we never got to see in the movies, like a few more moments in Luke Skywalker's training by the Jedi Master Yoda, or impassioned speeches at an Ewok assembly that would eventually lead to their alliance with the Rebels in Endor. We got a close look at some of these character's motivations as the writers explored the character's minds. It made for a pretty interesting and entertaining reading.
The books are not without flaws, though. As should be expected of everything written before the prequels came out, there are some things that directly contradict the new canon established by the prequel movies, especially concerning Vader's knowledge of his wife's pregnancy. James Kahn's novelization of Return of the Jedi also has the annoying aspect of trying to write vocalizations that should never have been put into writing, like Chewbacca's growls or R2-D2's beeps and chirps. Still, by the time I read Darth Vader's death scene, I was actually crying, because it was impossible not to. Reading this has inspired me to go out and order some more Star Wars books...
June 6, 2016
This is exactly what you think it is--novelizations of the movie. The introduction from George Lucas confuses me a bit, and I'm not sure if these came first or the movies came first, but it doesn't really matter. There's a little extra detail (obviously, since it's a book) which I really appreciated, but ultimately if you've seen the movies you're not going to find out a lot of new information here.
September 6, 2016
These may not be the most well written books of all time, but they are really fun and enjoyable.
December 11, 2016
O universo criado é maravilhoso PORÉM a escrita (e tradução? não sei dizer) foi sofrível em várias partes. Livro lindo de qualquer forma.
December 13, 2019
4 stars because I love Star Wars.
March 6, 2023
Watched each movie before reading each novel! For me that was a good choice, as I struggle with visualizing. The novels enhance the stories a little bit, but the scene shifts become a bit jarring when read. There are also some small differences between book and movie, but overall they're true, and good novelizations. Super easy to read! Think I'll stay 3,5 stars.
August 14, 2025
I enjoyed these novelisations of the original Star Wars trilogy stories, based on the scripts before they were turned into the movies we know and love.
December 18, 2019
Screw it. This takes me back to the good ole’ days.
Can’t wait to watch the premiere of The Rise of Skywalker this weekend.
Can’t wait to watch the premiere of The Rise of Skywalker this weekend.
September 25, 2024
Return of the Jedi on top
February 20, 2017
What a great read! The Star Wars trilogy novelization is written by three different authors (one for each movie) and all of them captured the space spirit perfectly. If you like Star Wars or movie novelizations in general, you should certainly check this out!
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