Although the Rebel Alliance has won a few battles against the Empire, hope is fading. The Empire is about to unveil the greatest weapon the galaxy has ever seen--the Death Star. The Rebels' only chance to defeat it now lies in the unlikely hands of a princess, a scoundrel, and a farm boy....
Hi! I'm Alex and I write books. Please note that I don't respond to messages here on GoodReads. Please send me a note on twitter or IG @alexbracken. xx A
Hi guys! I'm so excited to share this story with you and the young readers in your life :) For more information about how I'm re-adapting the classic story, the sources/material I used to do so, and my thoughts about the cover, head over to my site: http://www.alexandrabracken.com/?p=1769
Around the Year in 52 Books Challenge Notes: - 37. A book you've seen the movie, but haven't read the book (I know this is kinda cheating but there was literally nothing else to choose!)
As an obvious Star Wars fan, this was an inventive look back on the sci-fi classic, expanding upon and bringing new insight to each character as the POV starts with Leia’s capture and imprisonment, proceeds with Han’s hiring and subsequent help in “rescuing” the aforementioned princess, and ends with Luke and his induction into the wonderful world of the Force.
Another audio win, making me want to view the original movie again to see where and how it all began!
I think this is the first time I've ever given a book less than three stars. If there was a half star feature, this book would get 2 1/2 stars. That might be harsh, but I had so many issues with this book. I don't think it's fair to give it three stars only because it is a Star Wars story. My main issue is that this is a middle grade book written down to the readers. Alexandra Bracken dumbed down her writing for the audience, but it only made the characters seem immature.
Leia became the stereotypical 'I want to be strong and prove everyone wrong' character. Her POV was my least favorite because of the huge missed opportunity. She came across as not intelligent and as a child who held this grudge against everyone who judged her wrongly. If she had been truly strong, she could have stood firm knowing who she is without having to live for everyone else. Once the POV changed and we saw her through the other characters' eyes, I started to like the author's portrayal of her more. Thus the book improved a bit as it went.
Han Solo and Luke's portrayals were not much better. Their dialogue was so young. That's what it is. They spoke in a way that made them seem the age of the target audience. That made it very difficult to read. I can't imagine enjoying this even if I was still ten years old.
I still love Alexandra Bracken's other books...just not this one
I loved this book!!! It was such a great read, especially if you've seen the movie it just adds so much to the story. Alex is one of my favorite authors, and she literally nails it every time. I've never read one of her books yet and disliked it. Loved this! I also teared up a little at the end !
We all know the story of Star Wars: A New Hope...but this novel adaptation brings the classic tale to life like never before! All fans of Lucas' space opera should definitely check this out; after reading it, you'll never watch the very first Star Wars film the same way again!
EDIT: As my friends on here know, I'm not a fan of what Disney did to a galaxy far, far away. After the disaster that was The Last Jedi, the franchise is in a serious need of a reboot. However, no matter what other films get released, the original Star Wars trilogy will always pack a serious punch...and this adaptation of the first film did the same. While I think that the first film's merchandising has been stretched to the max--seriously, did you read that terrible From a Certain Point of View book?--it's still a timeless, epic story.
HELL YES. Bought this yesterday--must read undoubtedly, written by one of my favourite authors and also a tie in of one of my favourite movie series ever! SO most definitely yes! (Though I did not the simple style of writing, which I think seems to be aimed at a young audience, but nonetheless I will read it because I love the moviessss!
U P D A T E - 27/12/2015
How can this not be 5 stars? Love this novelization a lot!
This was my first novelisation of the Star Wars series. I've read others from the expanded universe (I do remember reading some apprentice novels about Anakin years back). But this was my first novelisation. And by Alexandra Bracken! How can I not love it????
WARNING: I AM BIASED IN MY LOVE FOR THIS NOVELISATION. NOT BY ONE FACTOR BUT TWO.
This book is told in three parts. From the perspectives of each of our three most beloved Star Wars characters: Leia, Han, and Luke. We begin with Leia's perspective, and rather than just the stuff that we see in the film, Alexandra Bracken adds a little bit more giving us some insight into Leia's experiences before she is rescued by Luke and Han. I love that she does this because we get a greater insight to how Leia feels about herself and during that time of the movie. The same can be said for each of the other characters too, we get snippets that were considered behind the scenes in the movie. Like how Luke is accepted as a pilot, and how he meets Wedge. And also how he felt when he lost his friend--Biggs.
So yes, I loved this book, and I loved seeing my favourite characters in my favourite sci-fi series written like this. And even more so when one of my favourite authors ever is the author, adding her own special flavour to the first story of the series (original).
Plus, this book is written for young readers/children, so the language is easy and simple and makes the whole book very simple and quick to read!
So... who hasn't seen Star Wars? *raises hand in embarrassment*
Okay, Okay - listen up! I've ALWAYS wanted to watch Star Wars! If you know me very well, you'd know I'm a sucker for science fiction and heroic stories! But when Star Wars was big when I was younger, I wasn't allowed to watch it (because I was little and it was violent for a 6 year old to watch, BUT I BEGGED TO WATCH IT AT 6 YEARS OLD!)
As time went on, I forgot about my urge to watch Star Wars.
Then The Force Awakens hype happens.
Everyone is binge-watching Star Wars and I don't know the right order of watching and I wasn't invited to a binge-watching party.
Then I see these books in a bookstore one day (for 20% off) after I saw someone of booktube recommend them for people who never got into Star Wars, so that was the day I decided that I was going to read these books, watch the movies and get caught up with Star Wars.
I'm happy that I know the story of A New Hope now!
I loved this and even though I didn't really experience Star Wars as I kid, this book made me feel like I was a kid experiencing Star Wars for the first time (although I've been spoiled for MANY things)
I'm currently reading the book adaptation for Empire Strikes Back. I'm enjoying this series so far and I cannot wait to watch all the movies!
So there you have it! You're witnessing the birth of my love for Star Wars - you should feel very honoured!
First off...I listened to the audiobook of this, and I'm so glad I did. I think I would have enjoyed the book, but the Star Wars music and sound effects and incredible voice talents on this are AMAZING!
As for the content, I loved the insight you get into each of these three main characters. Like many people, I've been a ginormous Star Wars fan for longer than I can remember, and I thought I knew these characters pretty well. However, this delved even more into the minds of Leia, Han, and Luke. You hear Leia's inner struggle to prove herself to the Senate and the Rebellion and mourn with her after she loses her home planet, you laugh at Han's inner playboy yet realize that he's more than just a smug smuggler, and you follow Luke's journey from naive moisture farmer to confident and selfless Rebellion pilot and Jedi-in-training. I laughed, I teared up (yes, in the car! haha!), I nerded out, and I applauded Alexandra Bracken for writing a worthy Star Wars retelling that lives up to the original. Brava, Ms. Bracken, brava! I can't wait to listen to the others!
The Princess, the Scoundrel, and the Farm Boy purports to be a retelling of a New Hope. Mostly, it feels like a novelization, but there are a few things that Bracken added that are, to my limited knowledge, original to her. However, any scene that was in the movie, which is a lot of them, directly recounts what happened in the film.
Initially, I was quite liking this, because it opens with Leia’s third person POV, and it’s basically about what a boss bitch Leia is. Most of what happens in Leia’s section isn’t covered in the movie, so it’s much more original than the rest. I wish the whole series had been what Leia was doing throughout, because that would have been awesome. However, Bracken moves on to Han and then Luke, which is much more directly transcribed.
The biggest problem, aside from the fact that you mostly could have just watched the movie and gotten the same information in much less time, is the writing. It’s written in what I would consider pretty generic middle grade style, but not a good middle grade style. It recounts what people are doing in pretty simple sentences. There’s absolutely zero feeling coming from the text. See Luke lightsaber.
What really propped this book up in my estimation was the audiobook. Marc Thompson and Rebecca Soler do a fantastic job, as did the editors who put everything together. They really spared no expense. It’s got the music and the sounds to bring this tepid novel to brilliant life. The writing might not give me feelings, but the music does automatically. Thompson also does an amazing job with the voice imitation; it’s not perfect, but it’s close.
Though it was a pretty fun way to spend five hours driving around and getting ready for bed, I’d still say you’re better off just rewatching the movie. It might be nice for a kid who is having trouble understanding the film.
This book was chosen for me by Amberly for the A Million More Pages POFM - September 2017.
The Princess
Enjoyed Leia's story. Glad to see more of her motivations and to be able to get into her head. Sad that her planet and all of her people died. Wonder how it would be to be a princess.
The Scoundrel
Ha'd story was very interesting. Liked seeing more of his and Cheese's relationship. Glad to see how he met Luke, Leia, Obi-Wan, and the droids. RIP Obi-Wan Kenobi. You will be missed. Also glad to see that Leia was rescued.
The Farm Boy
Enjoyed Luke's story. Sad that he had to see Obi-Wan die. Happy that he managed to join the Rebellion. His shot was very impressive. RIP Biggs.
Overall, a very good book. Liked that we were able to see from the different characters POV.
This review was originally published on my blog, The Hardcover Lover. I'd love it if you'd check it out there, too.
Okay... so I love all the movies in the Star Wars series, but I have never in my life actually read one of the many Star Wars books out there. (I know, right?) I decided to change that this year when I purchased The Princess, The Scoundrel, and The Farm Boy by Alexandra Bracken. I can tell you that I'm so glad that I decided to give a Star Wars novelization a chance because I really enjoyed it, and I can see myself reading even more of them in the future.
The Princess, The Scoundrel, and The Farm Boy is divided up into three main sections, each one about the three main characters in A New Hope. The first section follows Princess Leia as she tries to send the blueprints of the Death Star to Obi-Wan Kenobi up until Darth Vader destroys her home planet, Alderaan. The second section, and the longest section of the book follows Han Solo from the scene in Chalmun's Cantina up until he, Chewie, Luke, and Leia escape from the Death Star. Finally, the third section follows our story's hero, Luke Skywalker. Readers catch up on him right after Ben dies up until the point where he fires the shot to destroy the Death Star.
What I liked about The Princess, The Scoundrel, and The Farm Boy was that it is written in third person. Even though each section is about a different character, you never have to deal with first person narration. I will admit that the narration style is not what I expected, but I really enjoyed it. Readers will learn a lot about Leia, Han, and Luke through Bracken's words.
Another cool thing about The Princess, The Scoundrel, and The Farm Boy is that Ms. Bracken adds a few new scenes to the story that movie-watchers will have not seen. It's a risky move to do that with a beloved movie series, but it works. I liked seeing these characters in moments that are off-screen, and I don't think that they take anything away from what George Lucas created.
So would I recommend this book? Yes, I would. I think that any new Star Wars fan would appreciate this novelization. I also think that it would be a great book to read either before or after watching A New Hope. Kids and adults will enjoy reading about their favorite Star Wars characters, and looking at some of the black and white illustrations and colored art work that is included in the book.
Format: Audio Pages/Length: 6hrs Genre: Young Adult; Sci Fi; Space Travel Reason For Reading: Why not?
At A Glance
Love Triangle/Insta Love/Obsession?: No Cliff Hanger: No Triggers: n/a Rating: 4 stars
Score Sheet All out of ten
Cover: 6 Plot: 8 Characters: 6 World Building: 7 Flow: 7 Series Congruity: n/a Writing: 8 Ending: 8
Total: 7
In Depth
Best Part: Sounds Effects Worst Part: Leia's attitude. Thoughts Had: Better than the movie! (As always)
Conclusion
Continuing the Series: Yes Recommending: Yes
Short Review: I'm not the biggest Star Wars fan, I've seen all the movies that are out but i don't go out of my way to watch any of the TV series, nor find the books and read them, but hey this is an audio book, so might as well right. So if you need to find some good audio books to read, read these, the sound effects make you feel like you're in the dang movie. I kinda started to hate Lelia in this thou, she bitched too much, like she is a damn Princess but complains that no one will take her seriously, cliche much? Sheesh. Along with Leia' POV, you get Han's and Luke's, and lets just say the whole awkward kiss in the movie, is about a million times more awkward in this book since you have a better insight of how Luke feels towards Leia... *cringe*
How cute is this cover??! Disney has decided to release these sweet novelizations of our favorite chapters in the Star Wars saga that we are all familiar with, and Alex Bracken is one of my favorite authors, so I couldn't wait to get my hot little paws on these! We get to hear all the best lines from the movies of course, but with each successive chapter, it adds a little extra scene or exposition that was not ever seen in the movie. In the Princess chapter, we are let in on Leia's extensive training as a leader, a fighter, and a queen, and how that training helps her survive against being captured and questioned by Vader on the Death Star. In the Scoundrel chapter, we see through Han's rough exterior as a smuggler owing Jabba, and reveals himself as someone who cares for more than money. The Wookie knew...! And finally in the Farm Boy chapter, we experience Luke's uncertainty of being a pilot for the first time and trusting in the Force to help him succeed against the Death Star, destroying it. Some of the very first illustrations for the movie are included, making this a sweet quick read, and a little gem!
While not as strong as Angleberger's RotJ novelization (and that may have more to do with the source material than anything else) Bracken's take on ANH was a really fun read. This would also be a great book for kids to read and then discuss the different ways to tell a story, especially when it comes to film versus writing.
Bracken's approach was to break down the story of Star Wars to each of the main trio's point of view. The first part is all told from Princess Leia's side, with her getting the quest to take the Death Star plans to General Kenobi and being captured by the Empire. Bracken pulls from not just the film, but the previous novelzations and the radio drama to imagine scenes of what happened to Leia before Luke and Han arrived.
The second part is from Han's point of view, picking up where we meet him in the movie, in the cantina on Tatooine. The third is Luke's story, starting right after the escape from the Death Star.
Well written and unique, definitely a must-read for Star Wars fans.
FIRST THOUGHTS: I just love revisiting this world, and these characters are dear to my heart. Alex did such a brilliant job revealing more to these three characters, all while telling the classic tale. 4.75 stars!
A wonderful version of this story reimagined for younger readers. The audiobook version is top-notch featuring sound effects and the popular musical score from the movies. I know it's totally marketing to a younger generation right before the new movie comes out but who the heck cares??
This was pretty good! I liked how we got to see what the characters were thinking, I think my favorite p.o.v. was Leia's! If you like Star Wars then you should read this book!
Los que conocen el mundo de Star Wars saben que hay muchísimos libros, cómics e historias paralelas a las películas. Hoy les traigo la reseña de un libro que inicia la trilogía de novelas ilustradas aprobadas por Lucas Film y Disney. Vayamos por partes que hay mucho que decir.
Ilustrada, pero no se imaginen una obra descomunal. El libro cuenta con ilustraciones en blanco y negro, algunas son más elaboradas que otras, pero todas muy aceptables. En definitiva, si la novela existiera sin las ilustraciones podría leerse sin problemas, que tan solo son adornos (aunque hay un fallo en la página 319 donde la imagen se come una línea, pues no coincide con la primera frase de la página 320). Aún así, aportan un sentimiento melancólico extra, una ayuda a la imaginación (o visualización acorde a la peli) y terminas enamorada de la edición (aunque sea sencilla).
La historia. La novela está dividida en tres partes, pero todas narradas en tercera persona: "La princesa", donde veremos los hechos con el punto de vista de Leia, "El contrabandista", donde tendremos a nuestro querido Han, y "El granjero", donde seguiremos a Luke. En su mayoría, Braken se limita a escribir los sucesos tal cual ocurren en Una nueva esperanza, aunque hay algunos pequeños detalles libres a su creatividad. Por ejemplo, se siente más romance entre ciertos personajes que lo que se muestra en la peli (lo que me encantó). Los otros libros de la saga, también replantearán las siguientes películas.
Los personajes son bastante fieles a los ya conocidos. Personalmente mi debilidad ha sido Han Solo, el cual atraviesa un sin fin de sentimientos en cuanto se encuentra con Luke y Leia. A pesar de no ser el protagonista principal de la saga, es uno de los que más enfrenta evoluciones. Su carácter es poco moral y su avaricia no conoce límites, pero la amistad y el amor lo harán convertirse en un hombre nuevo, sin perder su peculiar humor picaresco. La princesa Leia se muestra como una mujer firme y valiente, que no teme defenderse sola y atacar al enemigo, sin dejar de ser femenina ni delicada. El personaje que he sentido más débil es Luke (cosa que no debería ser así para nada). Sus cavilaciones continuamente ruedan sobre lo mismo y eso lo hace un poco plano. De todas formas, como nunca me gustó su personaje (ni en los libros ni en las películas) no me ha molestado esta falta de carácter.
¿Es necesario ver la película para leer el libro? Sí y no. No es necesario porque la novela prácticamente es "leer" el film. Sin embargo, la calidad narrativa no es suficiente para considerarse independiente, debes ser fanático de la saga o al menos conocer la historia base para disfrutar de la lectura.
Представяме ви класическия "Епизод IV: Нова надежда", но този път в нов преразказ, който ще помогне на младите фенове да наваксат с 40-годишната история на "Междузвездни войни"! Ревюто е пуликувано за първи път от нашите приятели от StarWarsBG.com Прочетете ревюто на "Книжни Криле":
Bardzo spodobała mi się ta książka, jako fan gwiezdnych wojen dała mi coś zupełnie nowego, miałem możliwość przeżycia tej samej histori ale w inny sposób. Polecam ją każdemu który oglądał Nową Nadzieje Georga Lucasa ale też każdemu który chce zacząć swoją przygodę w uniwersum gwiezdnych wojen, bardzo podobały mi się rozwinięte opisy bohaterów i ich rozwój przez wydarzenia opisane w książce, zakończenie i epilog były jak wisienka na torcie, dużo wspomnień do rzeczy z uniwersum gwiezdnych wojen też dodawały mnóstwo klimatu, niektóre elementy przynudzały i nie za bardzo przypadły mi do gustu ale nie żałuję tego, że sięgnąłem po to książkę.
This is Star Wars for younger kids (not teens). While I did find this a little on the annoying side when I started it, I did finally find a rhythm. This book was definitely age appropriate....but the sentence structure was so simple and by that, I mean too simple. But I still liked this....it is a movie I have seen so many times with my own children. I also liked the embellishments with the characterizations. So 3 stars.
The princess, the scoundrel, the farm boy. The senator, the smuggler, the dreamer. The Rebel leader, the captain, the pilot. More than what they believed of themselves. More than what others saw of them. And, together, a new hope for the future.
once again, i cried my eyes out at how tragic yet beautiful their story is.