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The Odyssey of Star Wars: An Epic Poem
A thrilling retelling of the Star Wars saga in the style of classic epic poetry
“I look not to myself but to the Force,
In which all things arise and fall away.”
Journey to a galaxy far, far away like never before—through lyrical verse and meter. Like the tales of Odysseus and Beowulf, the adventures of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Jyn Erso, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Darth Vader, and the Emperor are fraught with legendary battles, iconic heroes, fearsome warriors, sleek ships, and dangerous monsters. Beginning with Rogue One’s rebel heist on Scarif to secure the plans to the Death Star and continuing through the climax of Return of the Jedi, author Jack Mitchell uses the ancient literary form of epic poetry to put a new spin on the Star Wars saga.
Punctuated with stunning illustrations inspired by the terracotta art of Greek antiquity, The Odyssey of Star Wars: An Epic Poem presents the greatest myth of the 20th century as it would have been told nearly 3,000 years ago.
“I look not to myself but to the Force,
In which all things arise and fall away.”
Journey to a galaxy far, far away like never before—through lyrical verse and meter. Like the tales of Odysseus and Beowulf, the adventures of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Jyn Erso, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Darth Vader, and the Emperor are fraught with legendary battles, iconic heroes, fearsome warriors, sleek ships, and dangerous monsters. Beginning with Rogue One’s rebel heist on Scarif to secure the plans to the Death Star and continuing through the climax of Return of the Jedi, author Jack Mitchell uses the ancient literary form of epic poetry to put a new spin on the Star Wars saga.
Punctuated with stunning illustrations inspired by the terracotta art of Greek antiquity, The Odyssey of Star Wars: An Epic Poem presents the greatest myth of the 20th century as it would have been told nearly 3,000 years ago.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published September 28, 2021
21 people are currently reading
2056 people want to read
About the author
Jack Mitchell
8 books1 followerJack Mitchell is a poet, scholar, and novelist. He is the author of The Odyssey of Star Wars, a retelling of the Star Wars trilogy as an epic poem, from Abrams Books, and The Poetical Hub, a collection of 376 epigrams and lyric poems published in The Hub magazine. He has also produced a book of aphorisms ("D"), a translation of La Rochefoucauld, and a series of YA historical novels set in ancient Rome (The Roman Conspiracy, The Ancient Ocean Blues, and Chariots of Gaul.) He has taught at the College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts and is currently associate professor of Classics at Dalhousie University in Halifax, where he lives with his wife and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
September 28, 2021
As a longtime Star Wars fan, I always enjoy an opportunity to appreciate the first three movies from a new perspective. In this regard, I found The Odyssey of Star Wars: An Epic Poem to be a fun, very readable reinterpretation of the original trilogy. (I received an advance copy of the book through Goodreads' Giveaways in exchange for my review.)
The back cover describes this project as "the greatest myth of the twentieth century as it would have been told nearly three thousand years ago." Author Jack Mitchell retells the events of A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi in verse, and it's a delightful way to revisit these stories. His poetry has the effect of emphasizing the mythic qualities the films have always possessed. Star Wars is a larger-than-life saga, and The Odyssey of Star Wars appropriately leans into its source material's epic nature.
Mitchell's expressive use of language is also a good fit for Star Wars. This is not a literal recitation of the original trilogy; the poetry excels at conveying emotion over details. My favorite example of this is the section recounting the destruction of Alderaan, which has never felt more chaotic or cataclysmic than it does here. But even in smaller moments--such as Leia first seeing Vader's mask or Luke and company entering Mos Eisley--Mitchell finds the words to make things feel fresh and exciting.
Fans who are knowledgeable about the movies will note that Mitchell has taken some liberties in adapting the narrative to verse. In some instances this results in new scenes: Mon Mothma greeting Leia upon her arrival at Yavin IV, for example, or Vader and the Emperor plotting between the events of A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. Perhaps most significantly, Mitchell reorganizes how the story of Return of the Jedi is told in such a way to emphasize the familial connections among the Skywalkers in a very interesting manner. Fans will also find that Mitchell has woven into his poem elements from other Star Wars productions (e.g., the prequel trilogy, Rogue One, Solo), adding more depth to this epic tale.
Also worth mentioning is the book's antiquity-inspired design by Diane Shaw. This is an attractive tome, befitting its contents.
If you want to relive the wonder of the original trilogy from a fresh perspective, The Odyssey of Star Wars is an excellent way to do so.
The back cover describes this project as "the greatest myth of the twentieth century as it would have been told nearly three thousand years ago." Author Jack Mitchell retells the events of A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi in verse, and it's a delightful way to revisit these stories. His poetry has the effect of emphasizing the mythic qualities the films have always possessed. Star Wars is a larger-than-life saga, and The Odyssey of Star Wars appropriately leans into its source material's epic nature.
Mitchell's expressive use of language is also a good fit for Star Wars. This is not a literal recitation of the original trilogy; the poetry excels at conveying emotion over details. My favorite example of this is the section recounting the destruction of Alderaan, which has never felt more chaotic or cataclysmic than it does here. But even in smaller moments--such as Leia first seeing Vader's mask or Luke and company entering Mos Eisley--Mitchell finds the words to make things feel fresh and exciting.
Fans who are knowledgeable about the movies will note that Mitchell has taken some liberties in adapting the narrative to verse. In some instances this results in new scenes: Mon Mothma greeting Leia upon her arrival at Yavin IV, for example, or Vader and the Emperor plotting between the events of A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. Perhaps most significantly, Mitchell reorganizes how the story of Return of the Jedi is told in such a way to emphasize the familial connections among the Skywalkers in a very interesting manner. Fans will also find that Mitchell has woven into his poem elements from other Star Wars productions (e.g., the prequel trilogy, Rogue One, Solo), adding more depth to this epic tale.
Also worth mentioning is the book's antiquity-inspired design by Diane Shaw. This is an attractive tome, befitting its contents.
If you want to relive the wonder of the original trilogy from a fresh perspective, The Odyssey of Star Wars is an excellent way to do so.
Want to read
April 3, 2021Lucasfilm announced this book on April Fool's Day 2021, but it seems like it's a real thing. As a lifelong Star Wars fan and a Classics student/teacher I've been hoping for something in this vein for quite a while.
October 13, 2021
Just got this and devoured it. I was expecting a parody like the Shakespeare's Star Wars series, but this is an honest to God epic poem, as serious as it gets (except for R2D2 and C3po and the Ewoks, which are light like in the movie but aren't prominent). It's like Homer's Odyssey and Iliad combined (hero's journey + huge battles), but unlike with Homer you the names and plot already because it's Star Wars. First time I've ever read a long poem like this and honestly it didn't seem long at all, it really races along. If I were a teacher I would get my students into poetry using this, teenagers would love it.
January 7, 2022
This epic poem is not a retelling of The Odyssey, nor is it just another packaging of the Star Wars story. The “Odyssey” parallel lies partly in the overall structure: both are about a longing for home, a dangerous quest that takes years through many different and fantastic places, formidable forces of opposition, monstrous monsters to overcome, death possible at every corner, great battle scenes, the deaths of companions. Another parallel is the attributes associated with Odysseus but here exhibited variously by the three main characters of Leia, Luke, Han: courage, wiliness, determination, fortitude, planning, martial skills.
I don’t know when anyone last wrote and published an epic poem, but The Odyssey of Star Wars is a singular achievement. It provides a greater knowing, and appreciation, of the Star Wars story. Drawing on his skills as a poet, and training as a classicist, Mitchell has expanded and deepened the moral themes of the story, along with the depth of the characters and their actions. This modern epic, though set in a far distant future, is part of a continuum of ancient tales, fables and myths that stretches back thousands of years. The themes and structures of Homer and Virgil are evident, but I also hear echoes of Gilgamesh, Oedipus, Herodotus, Beowulf. Mitchell firmly shows the power of epic poetry that is a pleasure to read in bringing to life a rich and complex story with detailed descriptions and actions.
All of this is accomplished through Mitchell’s strong writing. He connects to the ancient world, not just through the structures and rhythms of epic poetry, but through imaginative similes and metaphors that use natural events and images common across the eons. His descriptions of places, events, and actions are immediate and colourful, often better than the movie scene.
Two overarching themes weave through Mitchell’s epic, referenced many times by various characters. One is the interconnectedness of all living things: a sense of fate expressed through individual lives and larger social and historical movements. Another is the tension in the dichotomy of evil and good that exists in everyone even, and especially, in Darth Vader.
Each chapter begins with an “Invocation” that functions as a sort of Greek chorus. They evolve in their focus as the story progresses. Reading through them as a piece presents a guide, a summary of the story and the themes Mitchell explores and develops: good, evil, truth, justice, courage, wiles, forbearance, love, friendship, perseverance, time, sacrifice, fate, the levelling effects of hubris.
A word on the production and presentation of this book. The binding is strong and conveys a sense of substance; you don’t see hard-cardboard covers much any more. There are sidebars throughout the text that serve as useful signposts for those of us not as familiar with the plots of the movies. The lines are numbered as one would see in a translation of, for instance, Homer. These provide helpful references for readers who like to make notes on the text.
In the end, I can easily imagine a wandering minstrel in a Star Wars future singing Mitchell’s poem of the Force and the foundation stories of Han, Luke, Leia, Vader, etc, etc.
But we can enjoy it today.
-January 2022
I don’t know when anyone last wrote and published an epic poem, but The Odyssey of Star Wars is a singular achievement. It provides a greater knowing, and appreciation, of the Star Wars story. Drawing on his skills as a poet, and training as a classicist, Mitchell has expanded and deepened the moral themes of the story, along with the depth of the characters and their actions. This modern epic, though set in a far distant future, is part of a continuum of ancient tales, fables and myths that stretches back thousands of years. The themes and structures of Homer and Virgil are evident, but I also hear echoes of Gilgamesh, Oedipus, Herodotus, Beowulf. Mitchell firmly shows the power of epic poetry that is a pleasure to read in bringing to life a rich and complex story with detailed descriptions and actions.
All of this is accomplished through Mitchell’s strong writing. He connects to the ancient world, not just through the structures and rhythms of epic poetry, but through imaginative similes and metaphors that use natural events and images common across the eons. His descriptions of places, events, and actions are immediate and colourful, often better than the movie scene.
Two overarching themes weave through Mitchell’s epic, referenced many times by various characters. One is the interconnectedness of all living things: a sense of fate expressed through individual lives and larger social and historical movements. Another is the tension in the dichotomy of evil and good that exists in everyone even, and especially, in Darth Vader.
Each chapter begins with an “Invocation” that functions as a sort of Greek chorus. They evolve in their focus as the story progresses. Reading through them as a piece presents a guide, a summary of the story and the themes Mitchell explores and develops: good, evil, truth, justice, courage, wiles, forbearance, love, friendship, perseverance, time, sacrifice, fate, the levelling effects of hubris.
A word on the production and presentation of this book. The binding is strong and conveys a sense of substance; you don’t see hard-cardboard covers much any more. There are sidebars throughout the text that serve as useful signposts for those of us not as familiar with the plots of the movies. The lines are numbered as one would see in a translation of, for instance, Homer. These provide helpful references for readers who like to make notes on the text.
In the end, I can easily imagine a wandering minstrel in a Star Wars future singing Mitchell’s poem of the Force and the foundation stories of Han, Luke, Leia, Vader, etc, etc.
But we can enjoy it today.
-January 2022
September 19, 2025
The Star Wars saga, written as epic poetry in the style of Homer's Odyssey, this book is amazing. It tells the story from Rogue One to Return of the Jedi. I know these stories well, but still felt hooked by the storytelling. Star Wars is modern-day mythology, the hero's journey taking place in space. I highly recommend this book
October 19, 2021
My mother gave me this because she knows I love the Odyssey. It doesn't follow the story of the Odyssey, it follows the story of Star Wars (which I also like), but the heroic style is the same. It uses the same rhythm as Emily Wilson's translation of the Odyssey which I also liked. It moves fast like the Odyssey and has lots of beautiful language and images. Leia is my favorite character in the movies and she is great here, especially as a leader of the rebels and when she kills Jabba, if anything she has a bigger role than in the films. If you like adventure stories you will love this book.
October 6, 2021
I predict this will become a classic of our time, both for Star Wars fans and for people who come to it for the poetry. It is in the true tradition of epic, a swiftly moving tale with vivid descriptions and thoughtful insights. This poetic treatment gives depth to a well-loved story, treating it with full respect.
Want to read
September 15, 2021You had me at Rogue One
April 16, 2025
“The choice of Vader, who forsook the way…” A beautiful retelling of the Star Wars story in beautiful verse.
A bit too long in my opinion - the parts I mulled over every poetic word were all of those to do with Luke and Vader, the Jedi and the Sith - but the B-plots in between were perhaps over-described unnecessarily.
That said, every page was worth it for the gold throughout.
This will be a favourite book for years to come!
A bit too long in my opinion - the parts I mulled over every poetic word were all of those to do with Luke and Vader, the Jedi and the Sith - but the B-plots in between were perhaps over-described unnecessarily.
That said, every page was worth it for the gold throughout.
This will be a favourite book for years to come!
April 14, 2022
The literature and Star Wars nerd in me sang with delight upon winning this book. It didn’t disappoint! It isn’t a parody, it’s an actual epic poem, and a good one at that. Highly recommended!
This unbiased review is based on a copy won through Goodreads giveaways.
This unbiased review is based on a copy won through Goodreads giveaways.
August 9, 2022
What mercy do the merciless deserve?
February 8, 2024
To be honest the only reason I picked this up was because a) it was at bargain price at Barnes and Noble, and b) Star Wars, and I haven't regretted it.
Likes
I really liked this book. It fleshed out the original trilogy. It was easy to read. I think as a Star Wars fan who hasn't read any Greek epics, this is a great stepping stone. If I had been forced to read Greek epics in high school, I have ended up hating it and not liked this book either. But it is very hard to mess up when you are just retelling a story that's already been told in a different format. It was also able to make me tear up at some of the more emotional scenes,
Criticisms
I am not familiar with Greek works, but this book repeated some cool quotes, which cheapened their coolness. Also Darth Vader wanting to test out whether humans could be carbonized is not canonically true anymore after the Clone Wars prison break-in. The original Star Wars movies is given a pass since it came first, but this book came after the Clone Wars show. (Yes, this is a nerdy nitpick, and no, I don't care.) This book's Yoda barely has the speaking quirk the original had. The "Luke, I'm your father" scene did not have the same impact.
Biases
Okay I am definitely biased in giving this 5 stars. I absolutely love Star Wars--okay, I like Star Wars, but I LOVE Darth Vader. Yeah I know he's done terrible things, but he's fictional, has an epic theme song, is super OP, super cool, awesome design, and just jwnwouheuoifhe3oidjsnwiofheniughriurbor3qle. This book has some cool quotes about him (though it might seem cooler in my mind because Darth Vader is cool).
Experiment
I like Star Wars but haven't read any of the Greek works like the Odyssey. My friend isn't a Star Wars fan but likes the Greek epics. After me, she will read it and judge it. Already, she is skeptical because the author had the chance to tell something original with Anakin/Darth Vader as Odysseus. She doesn't have a Goodreads so I will put her thoughts here when she's finished with the book.
Quotes
"The choice of Vader, who forsook the way / And knelt before the throne and rore the mask, / Slayer and slain, betrayer and betrayed, / More god than mortal, more machine than man..."
"A planet-killer, poised in every sky. / The Emperor's implement of terror: soon, The Senate crushed, the Council dissolute, / The proud Republic's remnants swept away. / Illimitable cruelty, matchless power / Would crown at last the malice of the Sith."
"Fearless she stares up at that awful mask / Before which Jedi quailed, when through the stars He hunted them at Palpatine's behest / 'Til all their fire had left the universe / And he remained alone: that mask he'd worn / Since she for whom he'd picked the path of wrath Had judged that death was better than the dark; / Terror as black as starless space itself / Haunted the polished mouth and eyes, its breath / The rasp and suffocation of despair."
"Patience seems no virtue to the bold."
"What visions haunt the dreams of droids?"
"Standing, Luke flicks a button; from the hilt / The dazzling edge, a flame of blue, extends, / Like fire infused with sky, or stars with sea, / Crackling with kyber, cleaving through the gloom."
"Just so the Falcon, ere the cruisers struck, / Broke through to hyperspace: the smudging stars / Yield to the velvet of that wrinkled zone / In which existence folds, whereby all worlds / Are reached across the infinite abyss..."
"A single moment stops the course of time. / All life at once is suffocated, burnt, / Quartered and flayed, depressurised and crushed, / All mammals and all birds, all reptiles, fish, / All insects, down to microscopic cells, / Call out in terror, silenced instantly / And little mourned, for who shall sing laments / When all the mourners perish with the dead?"
"Better it were that life had never walked / Your fields nor swum your oceans than that now / Its destiny should draw the Death Star near; / For life brings death: the very elements / Diffuse, and what was once a noble globe / Shatters for ever into nameless rocks / Colliding in the quiet of the void."
"Beyond the jagged rubble hung a sphere, / A moon without a planet: sunlight glared / Across its glassy, smooth meridian, / As though on pristine glaciers. Mesmerized, / They tremble as before an omen, rapt / In awful silence. It was Obi-Wan / Who first perceived it was an evil thing, / A work of man."
"The air, as Vader came, grew thick with fear. ... / But Vader, who of all the Jedi felt / The Force most keenly, save for that small sage / Who once had trained his teacher, stretches out, / Sensing the potent presence of the past, / Roaming in recollection, seeing still... / The end without a death, the endless death, On Mustafar."
"Yet though none saw him, Vader felt his power, For friendship, more than love, will leave a scar
If once forsworn."
"So Obi-Wan Kenobi felt the Sith, / Whom he himself, in bygone days, had met / On windy Tatooine, for whom he'd vouched, / The boy he'd trained and mentored: like a scar / That throbs before a winter storm, its pain / A rusty relic of the wars of youth, / So now the master's aged spirit ached/ To sense Darth Vader's anger drawing near. ... / Etched stark against the hangar's light, he stood, / Taller than man, his black cape like a mist, / His armor gleaming and his helmet proud, / Apprentice to the Emperor, cold in rage, / Darth Vader. Just as when the rumbling earth, / Seething below with vast commotion, gorged / On molten rock and gasses, passes up / Its scalding plumes of steam, so Vader's breath / Rasped in the echoing corridor. Old Ben / Went softly forward, shrugging off his hood, / And as he went he lit his glowing sword, / That blade of sapphire, work of his own hand, / The same as he had whirled on Mustafar. / In answer Vader's saber, blazing red, / Halts the old man's advance..."
"Their luminous lightsabers collide, / Crackling like ice and scattering steely flame..."
"...Beside Ben looms / A fearsome figure, black from head to foot, / No Jedi, though he held a Jedi's blade, / Crushing all comfort. Horror fills the lad, / The hangar seems to shudder as he sees / One dancing saber fall, the other whirl, / Parry and thrust again..."
"The dish that made the constellations quail / Shattered forever. So the Death Star died... / the pieces of the Empire's pride / Hung glowing in the crimson planet's path."
"...she stood, as silent as the sun, / Granting to each a medal made of gold / Amid the trumpets, and received their vows, / Sworn unto that indwelling power that binds / All living things and balances our fate, / To win the savage war among the stars."
"That pupil whose black sorcery was surpassed / By his alone, Lord Vader, whom dark arts/ Had snatched in secret from the clutch of death, / Who now before his master's hologram, / As though before an awful idol, knelt, / Upon his starship, worshipping afar... / Vader, kneeling, spoke, his rasping breath / Reverent and slow."
"And soon himself the master, steeped in spite, / In every arcane artifice of hate, / Apostle of the dark side of the Force, / Who wielded lightning, choked the souls of men. / With crimson eyes 'neath flesh as pale as death / His voice malevolence itself..."
"'Aid me against this slaughterer of men, / And for my part I'lI somehow learn to wield / Your deadly beauty with the same sure skill / As when you flickered in my father's fist.'"
"'Shall this broken coffin, Dak, encase / Your icy flesh, no epitaph attest / The heart that fought the Empire to the end? / Take this instead, a hero's funeral pyre.'"
"By those with eyes to read, a dusty shape, / Just so Darth Vader watched the rebels go, / But in his heart, half god and half machine, / He laughed, for though young Skywalker had fled, / He knew not yet the power of the Force."
"'An ally stands behind me and within, / Perceived by few, yet felt by everything, / The note of life itself, the energy / And music of the galaxy, the Force. / Its instrument am I, and so are you..."
"'Vader was preserved, a living death, / While she preferred to perish than to turn, / Forsaken, aye, but not forsaking love, / Foretelling, even as death's fingers clutched / Her heart, that he might someday be restored - / An empty hope, alas!'"
"...he stood and trembled as he faced / A formidable figure, robed in black, / Armored and gloved and helmeted and masked, / Darth Vader, newly come to Bespin: this / That deadly shape of evil..." (Love this description of Vader!!)
"...from the shadow came the rasping breath / None ever could forget.... / 'The Force is with you, son of Skywalker, / In which the darkness and the light unite. / But you are not a Jedi yet. 'Tis well, / For I am death to Jedi...'"
"A brittle stillness reigns - his footfalls resonate - / The rasp and suffocation of despair... / There the Sith lord looms / Motionless, 'til he lifts an iron hand, / Wresting with his indomitable will..."
"So spoke Lord Sidious; beneath his hood / The crimson eyes were laughing, though the mouth / Was twisted in an ecstasy of hate."
"...'til against all odds / The blistering horror of inferno yields / To open stars, the safety of the void. / There rebel and Imperial vessels wait / To watch the vast apocalypse, white fire / Splitting the giant battle station's side, / A massive flash, the potent wrath of suns / Erupting as the crystal kyber core, / Jewel of the strongest stars, disintegrates / The terror of an empire: at a stroke / The shackles of a galaxy fall free. . As when the fitted portal of a tomb / Is inched aside, and searing sunlight creeps / Across the timeless mummy and its shroud, / Which crumbles at the softest breath of air, / Just so the deadly will of Sidious / Was dissipated. Such is destiny."
Likes
I really liked this book. It fleshed out the original trilogy. It was easy to read. I think as a Star Wars fan who hasn't read any Greek epics, this is a great stepping stone. If I had been forced to read Greek epics in high school, I have ended up hating it and not liked this book either. But it is very hard to mess up when you are just retelling a story that's already been told in a different format. It was also able to make me tear up at some of the more emotional scenes,
Criticisms
I am not familiar with Greek works, but this book repeated some cool quotes, which cheapened their coolness. Also Darth Vader wanting to test out whether humans could be carbonized is not canonically true anymore after the Clone Wars prison break-in. The original Star Wars movies is given a pass since it came first, but this book came after the Clone Wars show. (Yes, this is a nerdy nitpick, and no, I don't care.) This book's Yoda barely has the speaking quirk the original had. The "Luke, I'm your father" scene did not have the same impact.
Biases
Okay I am definitely biased in giving this 5 stars. I absolutely love Star Wars--okay, I like Star Wars, but I LOVE Darth Vader. Yeah I know he's done terrible things, but he's fictional, has an epic theme song, is super OP, super cool, awesome design, and just jwnwouheuoifhe3oidjsnwiofheniughriurbor3qle. This book has some cool quotes about him (though it might seem cooler in my mind because Darth Vader is cool).
Experiment
I like Star Wars but haven't read any of the Greek works like the Odyssey. My friend isn't a Star Wars fan but likes the Greek epics. After me, she will read it and judge it. Already, she is skeptical because the author had the chance to tell something original with Anakin/Darth Vader as Odysseus. She doesn't have a Goodreads so I will put her thoughts here when she's finished with the book.
Quotes
"The choice of Vader, who forsook the way / And knelt before the throne and rore the mask, / Slayer and slain, betrayer and betrayed, / More god than mortal, more machine than man..."
"A planet-killer, poised in every sky. / The Emperor's implement of terror: soon, The Senate crushed, the Council dissolute, / The proud Republic's remnants swept away. / Illimitable cruelty, matchless power / Would crown at last the malice of the Sith."
"Fearless she stares up at that awful mask / Before which Jedi quailed, when through the stars He hunted them at Palpatine's behest / 'Til all their fire had left the universe / And he remained alone: that mask he'd worn / Since she for whom he'd picked the path of wrath Had judged that death was better than the dark; / Terror as black as starless space itself / Haunted the polished mouth and eyes, its breath / The rasp and suffocation of despair."
"Patience seems no virtue to the bold."
"What visions haunt the dreams of droids?"
"Standing, Luke flicks a button; from the hilt / The dazzling edge, a flame of blue, extends, / Like fire infused with sky, or stars with sea, / Crackling with kyber, cleaving through the gloom."
"Just so the Falcon, ere the cruisers struck, / Broke through to hyperspace: the smudging stars / Yield to the velvet of that wrinkled zone / In which existence folds, whereby all worlds / Are reached across the infinite abyss..."
"A single moment stops the course of time. / All life at once is suffocated, burnt, / Quartered and flayed, depressurised and crushed, / All mammals and all birds, all reptiles, fish, / All insects, down to microscopic cells, / Call out in terror, silenced instantly / And little mourned, for who shall sing laments / When all the mourners perish with the dead?"
"Better it were that life had never walked / Your fields nor swum your oceans than that now / Its destiny should draw the Death Star near; / For life brings death: the very elements / Diffuse, and what was once a noble globe / Shatters for ever into nameless rocks / Colliding in the quiet of the void."
"Beyond the jagged rubble hung a sphere, / A moon without a planet: sunlight glared / Across its glassy, smooth meridian, / As though on pristine glaciers. Mesmerized, / They tremble as before an omen, rapt / In awful silence. It was Obi-Wan / Who first perceived it was an evil thing, / A work of man."
"The air, as Vader came, grew thick with fear. ... / But Vader, who of all the Jedi felt / The Force most keenly, save for that small sage / Who once had trained his teacher, stretches out, / Sensing the potent presence of the past, / Roaming in recollection, seeing still... / The end without a death, the endless death, On Mustafar."
"Yet though none saw him, Vader felt his power, For friendship, more than love, will leave a scar
If once forsworn."
"So Obi-Wan Kenobi felt the Sith, / Whom he himself, in bygone days, had met / On windy Tatooine, for whom he'd vouched, / The boy he'd trained and mentored: like a scar / That throbs before a winter storm, its pain / A rusty relic of the wars of youth, / So now the master's aged spirit ached/ To sense Darth Vader's anger drawing near. ... / Etched stark against the hangar's light, he stood, / Taller than man, his black cape like a mist, / His armor gleaming and his helmet proud, / Apprentice to the Emperor, cold in rage, / Darth Vader. Just as when the rumbling earth, / Seething below with vast commotion, gorged / On molten rock and gasses, passes up / Its scalding plumes of steam, so Vader's breath / Rasped in the echoing corridor. Old Ben / Went softly forward, shrugging off his hood, / And as he went he lit his glowing sword, / That blade of sapphire, work of his own hand, / The same as he had whirled on Mustafar. / In answer Vader's saber, blazing red, / Halts the old man's advance..."
"Their luminous lightsabers collide, / Crackling like ice and scattering steely flame..."
"...Beside Ben looms / A fearsome figure, black from head to foot, / No Jedi, though he held a Jedi's blade, / Crushing all comfort. Horror fills the lad, / The hangar seems to shudder as he sees / One dancing saber fall, the other whirl, / Parry and thrust again..."
"The dish that made the constellations quail / Shattered forever. So the Death Star died... / the pieces of the Empire's pride / Hung glowing in the crimson planet's path."
"...she stood, as silent as the sun, / Granting to each a medal made of gold / Amid the trumpets, and received their vows, / Sworn unto that indwelling power that binds / All living things and balances our fate, / To win the savage war among the stars."
"That pupil whose black sorcery was surpassed / By his alone, Lord Vader, whom dark arts/ Had snatched in secret from the clutch of death, / Who now before his master's hologram, / As though before an awful idol, knelt, / Upon his starship, worshipping afar... / Vader, kneeling, spoke, his rasping breath / Reverent and slow."
"And soon himself the master, steeped in spite, / In every arcane artifice of hate, / Apostle of the dark side of the Force, / Who wielded lightning, choked the souls of men. / With crimson eyes 'neath flesh as pale as death / His voice malevolence itself..."
"'Aid me against this slaughterer of men, / And for my part I'lI somehow learn to wield / Your deadly beauty with the same sure skill / As when you flickered in my father's fist.'"
"'Shall this broken coffin, Dak, encase / Your icy flesh, no epitaph attest / The heart that fought the Empire to the end? / Take this instead, a hero's funeral pyre.'"
"By those with eyes to read, a dusty shape, / Just so Darth Vader watched the rebels go, / But in his heart, half god and half machine, / He laughed, for though young Skywalker had fled, / He knew not yet the power of the Force."
"'An ally stands behind me and within, / Perceived by few, yet felt by everything, / The note of life itself, the energy / And music of the galaxy, the Force. / Its instrument am I, and so are you..."
"'Vader was preserved, a living death, / While she preferred to perish than to turn, / Forsaken, aye, but not forsaking love, / Foretelling, even as death's fingers clutched / Her heart, that he might someday be restored - / An empty hope, alas!'"
"...he stood and trembled as he faced / A formidable figure, robed in black, / Armored and gloved and helmeted and masked, / Darth Vader, newly come to Bespin: this / That deadly shape of evil..." (Love this description of Vader!!)
"...from the shadow came the rasping breath / None ever could forget.... / 'The Force is with you, son of Skywalker, / In which the darkness and the light unite. / But you are not a Jedi yet. 'Tis well, / For I am death to Jedi...'"
"A brittle stillness reigns - his footfalls resonate - / The rasp and suffocation of despair... / There the Sith lord looms / Motionless, 'til he lifts an iron hand, / Wresting with his indomitable will..."
"So spoke Lord Sidious; beneath his hood / The crimson eyes were laughing, though the mouth / Was twisted in an ecstasy of hate."
"...'til against all odds / The blistering horror of inferno yields / To open stars, the safety of the void. / There rebel and Imperial vessels wait / To watch the vast apocalypse, white fire / Splitting the giant battle station's side, / A massive flash, the potent wrath of suns / Erupting as the crystal kyber core, / Jewel of the strongest stars, disintegrates / The terror of an empire: at a stroke / The shackles of a galaxy fall free. . As when the fitted portal of a tomb / Is inched aside, and searing sunlight creeps / Across the timeless mummy and its shroud, / Which crumbles at the softest breath of air, / Just so the deadly will of Sidious / Was dissipated. Such is destiny."
Read
September 8, 2021I mostly got this book with my husband in mind. He's more of the Star wars fan. However what I can tell so far is that this book has a high level of attention to detail. The author spent a lot of time marrying the Star Wars universe to the style of poetry that "The Odyssey" is famous for. This is going to take some time to examine and complete due to the format. I will add my impressions as I work my way through it. The illustrations are so much fun and definitely done in the ancient Greek-ish style. So formatting definitely is evoking that epic poem feel.
August 8, 2023
This retelling of the Star Wars Trilogy in the form of a Homer-like epic poem pulls off the form very well. Like all classic epics, it is divided into ten books, each begining with an invocation of the muses. I've read The Iliad and Odyssey along with Milton's Paradise Lost and can appreciate the format and it's challenges to both author and modern reader. I think Jack Mitchell--who is apparently a poet and literature professor--pulls it. The part of A New Hope where the rebel pilots are checking in maps perfectly on the mustering section of the Iliad where all the Greek heroes get call outs complete with some comments on their equipment and weapons.
Mitchell pulls in material from the novelizations and expanded lore to flesh out the poem with the sorts of details that epic poems require. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who hasn't seen the trilogy, but for the few such people who exist, why would they want to read this anyway? I think most readers will rely on their knowledge of the story to help follow everything in the poem, which tells the tale a bit differently. For instance, the Return of the Jedi part (books VIII through X) starts in media reswith Luke visiting Yoda on Dagobah after Han is rescued. The whole rescue of Han on Tattooine is relayed by having Luke tell Obi Wan about it, starting with him (Luke) getting to Jabba's palace. The parts before Luke got there (i.e. R2 and C3PO showing up, Leia's capture) are told by Luke telling Obi Wan how Bib Fortuna told him that part. Sort of nested stories, but it works if you're paying attention and it is fun that this isn't just a 1 to 1 direct retelling of the films, which I doubt would work across such different media.
However, the action-heavy scenes don't work very well here, with the slight exception of the one-on-one light saber battles. This medium works better for dialog, not detailed action sequences, which is why the mana-a-mano fights work well, they have a lot of back and forth banter between the participants, much more even than the movies have.
Anyway, you all know the story. For fun and to give you a flavor, here are three key scenes and how they're told in The Odyssey of Star Wars , one from each film. From A New Hope, the climax of the Cantina scene:
Note that both Han and Greedo shoot, but who shot first seems ambiguous. It refers to "[Greedo's] prior shot," but it's not clear (to me, at least) if the shot was prior to Han's or prior to Greedo's death. This also omits the "Yeah, I bet you have" line that Han delivers, and his "sorry about the mess" as he flips the small coin to the bartender, lines that are are cinematic and I'm sad to see cut but which don't pack the same punch in a poem, I guess.
Next, from The Empire Strikes Back, the climax of my favorite scene in the book--Luke's confrontation with Vader in Cloud City, picking up with Vader speaking to Luke:
And from Return of the Jedi, the scene on Endor when Luke tells Leia that she's his sister, right after she was remembering their mother (with the problems introduced by Padme's death in childbirth in the prequels retconned and explained here with her saying "she was dead / before I left the blanket of my birth; / Yet even so, strange visions sometimes come...):
Anyway, it's a neat little book. It is interesting to see a form--the epic poem--that we're only used to seeing in works of ancient literature, tell a science fiction story. I think it'd be great to assign passages from this to high school English students when they are studying epic poetry; it'll give them a new perspective on how the tale works when they can isolate the format and seeing how it tells a familiar story, instead of having to learn about both the format and an unfamiliar story (e.g. that of Odysseus) at the same time. If it sounds neat to you, maybe give this a read. Otherwise, just know that this is out there and is pretty spiffy. I give this 3.5/5.
Mitchell pulls in material from the novelizations and expanded lore to flesh out the poem with the sorts of details that epic poems require. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who hasn't seen the trilogy, but for the few such people who exist, why would they want to read this anyway? I think most readers will rely on their knowledge of the story to help follow everything in the poem, which tells the tale a bit differently. For instance, the Return of the Jedi part (books VIII through X) starts in media reswith Luke visiting Yoda on Dagobah after Han is rescued. The whole rescue of Han on Tattooine is relayed by having Luke tell Obi Wan about it, starting with him (Luke) getting to Jabba's palace. The parts before Luke got there (i.e. R2 and C3PO showing up, Leia's capture) are told by Luke telling Obi Wan how Bib Fortuna told him that part. Sort of nested stories, but it works if you're paying attention and it is fun that this isn't just a 1 to 1 direct retelling of the films, which I doubt would work across such different media.
However, the action-heavy scenes don't work very well here, with the slight exception of the one-on-one light saber battles. This medium works better for dialog, not detailed action sequences, which is why the mana-a-mano fights work well, they have a lot of back and forth banter between the participants, much more even than the movies have.
Anyway, you all know the story. For fun and to give you a flavor, here are three key scenes and how they're told in The Odyssey of Star Wars , one from each film. From A New Hope, the climax of the Cantina scene:
...so Greedo spoke. Han Solo, grinning still,
Pondered two courses in his teeming brain,
Whether to trust his enemy and seek
The mercy of the Hutt, and bef for life,
Or risk the Rodian's pistol, shooting first
With surreptitious aim, since Greedo's tale
Of Jabba lumbering through Mos Eisley's streets
Was hard to credit--nothing but a ruse.
Pondering all this, but loathe to shoot him first,
Han steered the talk astutely to the risks
That crafty smugglers run' yet all the while
He touched his blaster; cocking it, he pulls
The trigger 'neath the table: Greedo's chest
Explodes; sizzling he slumps, his prior shot
Bent far astray, rehearsed so often, now
As futile as his gloating and his glee.
Flipping the barman some small coin, Han strides
Across the smoldering corpse into the street.
(Book I, Iines 824-842)
Note that both Han and Greedo shoot, but who shot first seems ambiguous. It refers to "[Greedo's] prior shot," but it's not clear (to me, at least) if the shot was prior to Han's or prior to Greedo's death. This also omits the "Yeah, I bet you have" line that Han delivers, and his "sorry about the mess" as he flips the small coin to the bartender, lines that are are cinematic and I'm sad to see cut but which don't pack the same punch in a poem, I guess.
Next, from The Empire Strikes Back, the climax of my favorite scene in the book--Luke's confrontation with Vader in Cloud City, picking up with Vader speaking to Luke:
"You do not realize your importance, Luke.
Your power is in its infancy. Join me,
Whom you may equal, whom you may surpass;
I will complete what Obi-Wan began.
Together we may end the age of war,
Bring order to the restless galaxy.
You will not join? You do not guess the power
Of life lived far beyond the dread of death.
Let not the Jedi prejudice your soul
Against ambition, which aligns the wise
Beside the Force itself. Do I not know?
None knew the Jefi better: I was one,
Indeed, I was the best. Did Obi-Wan
Note tell you of your father's destiny?"
So Vader spoke; but Luke replied in pain:
"I know that Anakin was best, not you;
And, what is better still, that he was good.
Aye, Ben and others told me you destroyed
That prince of pilots, prince of duelists
By means of some foul trick, on Mustafar.
O father, if my dying voice can reach
To death, the hidden kingdom of the Force,
In which, perhaps, your steady soul persists,
See that I die in fighting for revenge!"
So Luke replied, but Vader laughed, and spoke:
"O son of Skywalker, you are deceived.
Your father did not die on Mustafar.
Your wish is granted: he has heard your prayer.
I am your father, Anakin the Just,
Enlightened by the dark, death's conqueror,
The Jedi's bane, and mighty in the Force,
Whose infant son Kenobi stole away.
You doubt me? Search your feelings for the truth!"
(Book VII, lines 633-665)
And from Return of the Jedi, the scene on Endor when Luke tells Leia that she's his sister, right after she was remembering their mother (with the problems introduced by Padme's death in childbirth in the prequels retconned and explained here with her saying "she was dead / before I left the blanket of my birth; / Yet even so, strange visions sometimes come...):
"O, Leia, could you only see yourself!
Her dark eyes rich with beauty--they are yours;
In you I greet her valor and her grief.
My father did not die on Mustafar,
My father lives, beneath a name of dread:
Darth Vader is my father, Leia, who
Destroyed the Jedi, and whose power defers
To nothing but the horror on the throne.
No, it is true, for Vader swore himself,
And then on Tatooine Ben's ghost agreed.
The fact is hard, but this is harder still:
If I should parish, Leia, none but you
Shall prove the hidden heiress of my power:
For in my blood the Force is strong indeed:
My father wields it as a tool of death;
In me it heaves and surges, hardly tamed;
My sister feels it, though she names it not,
My comrade and my sister and my twin,
Daughter of Anakin, of Vader, you
Whose ceaseless fire oft reignites my own."
(Book IX, lines 777-796)
Anyway, it's a neat little book. It is interesting to see a form--the epic poem--that we're only used to seeing in works of ancient literature, tell a science fiction story. I think it'd be great to assign passages from this to high school English students when they are studying epic poetry; it'll give them a new perspective on how the tale works when they can isolate the format and seeing how it tells a familiar story, instead of having to learn about both the format and an unfamiliar story (e.g. that of Odysseus) at the same time. If it sounds neat to you, maybe give this a read. Otherwise, just know that this is out there and is pretty spiffy. I give this 3.5/5.
September 22, 2022
In honor of Andor's release, I checked out "The Odyssey of Star Wars", a retelling of the Original Trilogy in the poetic style of Homer's Odyssey. It makes sense this exists because Star Wars is a modern day epic similar to the Odyssey and directly/indirectly was inspired by Homer's work.
Reading it was reminiscent of my reading of Ian Doescher's "William Shakespeare's Star Wars", which retold each Star Wars film as though they were written/staged in Elizabethan England. Yet as amusing as Doescher's plays could be, I think I prefer Jack Mitchell's attempt to adapt the Star Wars saga in a new or rather classical manner.
Unlike the Shakespearean adaptation, Mitchell makes plenty of references to outside the Original Trilogy films. Scenes from Rogue One and the various Prequels are frequently alluded to and even retold. Solo gets occasional reference. The animated series and their characters get a fair amount of mentions (Ahsoka, The Ghost's crew, etc.) and even references to the novels and comics are made (hell, Darth Bane is talked about at length on two separate occasions).All this made Mitchell's work preferable to me because like the Odyssey it suggest how far reaching the epic of Star Wars has grown beyond the story being told in original films.
I also liked how The Odyssey of Star Wars played around with the order of events of the films. For instance, Darth Vader's conversation with the Emperor in Empire Strikes Back is moved to before the Battle of Hoth, the events of Jabba's Palace are retold by Luke to Obi-Wan after the fact, etc. Telling the adventure out of order at times was a creative way to retell a story I've experienced countless times before while also being in line with how Homer told The Odyssey at times.
Beyond this I also enjoyed how well Mitchell recreated the prose and writing style of The Odyssey (or at least the English translation I read in High School). It is very descriptive and while there is usually Star Wars terminology spread throughout, occasionally there would be passages of description, exposition, etc. that would not and these feel like they wouldn't be out of place in other Homerian epics. I'm definitely curious to see whether Mitchell is working on an Ancient Greek/Latin version of this work and how close to Homer classic scholars would find it (not that I'd read it mind you, this already gave me too many flashbacks to High School Latin lol).
As someone always on the lookout for experiencing the story of the Original Star Wars Trilogy in a new manner, "The Odyssey of Star Wars" did all the right things for me. Classic scholars who are also Star Wars fans should definitely check this out.
Reading it was reminiscent of my reading of Ian Doescher's "William Shakespeare's Star Wars", which retold each Star Wars film as though they were written/staged in Elizabethan England. Yet as amusing as Doescher's plays could be, I think I prefer Jack Mitchell's attempt to adapt the Star Wars saga in a new or rather classical manner.
Unlike the Shakespearean adaptation, Mitchell makes plenty of references to outside the Original Trilogy films. Scenes from Rogue One and the various Prequels are frequently alluded to and even retold. Solo gets occasional reference. The animated series and their characters get a fair amount of mentions (Ahsoka, The Ghost's crew, etc.) and even references to the novels and comics are made (hell, Darth Bane is talked about at length on two separate occasions).All this made Mitchell's work preferable to me because like the Odyssey it suggest how far reaching the epic of Star Wars has grown beyond the story being told in original films.
I also liked how The Odyssey of Star Wars played around with the order of events of the films. For instance, Darth Vader's conversation with the Emperor in Empire Strikes Back is moved to before the Battle of Hoth, the events of Jabba's Palace are retold by Luke to Obi-Wan after the fact, etc. Telling the adventure out of order at times was a creative way to retell a story I've experienced countless times before while also being in line with how Homer told The Odyssey at times.
Beyond this I also enjoyed how well Mitchell recreated the prose and writing style of The Odyssey (or at least the English translation I read in High School). It is very descriptive and while there is usually Star Wars terminology spread throughout, occasionally there would be passages of description, exposition, etc. that would not and these feel like they wouldn't be out of place in other Homerian epics. I'm definitely curious to see whether Mitchell is working on an Ancient Greek/Latin version of this work and how close to Homer classic scholars would find it (not that I'd read it mind you, this already gave me too many flashbacks to High School Latin lol).
As someone always on the lookout for experiencing the story of the Original Star Wars Trilogy in a new manner, "The Odyssey of Star Wars" did all the right things for me. Classic scholars who are also Star Wars fans should definitely check this out.
January 30, 2023
I have wanted a modern day epic poem for years, especially one based on one of my favorite stories of all time. The original trilogy of Star Wars fits the format very well and has the epic qualities that make it a perfect story to tell in this way. It was a lot of fun seeing the ways that Jack told this story throughout the book.
Each of the books is set in another place throughout the story, for instance Tatooine, Dagobah, Hoth, etc. One of my favorite aspects was at the beginning of the parts for Return of the Jedi and how Luke was relaying his story to Obi-Wan. Such a fun way of having the in media res represented in this epic poem.
Another of my favorite parts of this story were the aspects that Jack took from the Prequels, Rouge One, and the Han Solo movie. I was not expecting to see any of that in this story but it was interesting how he chose to add parts of those stories throughout. For instance, when Obi-Wan is talking about Anakin fighting Count Dooku during the Clone Wars.
The Odyssey is one of my favorite stories and I have wanted an epic poem just like it or The Iliad for a very long time. I hope that Jack Mitchell will write more epic poems from other stories.
Each of the books is set in another place throughout the story, for instance Tatooine, Dagobah, Hoth, etc. One of my favorite aspects was at the beginning of the parts for Return of the Jedi and how Luke was relaying his story to Obi-Wan. Such a fun way of having the in media res represented in this epic poem.
Another of my favorite parts of this story were the aspects that Jack took from the Prequels, Rouge One, and the Han Solo movie. I was not expecting to see any of that in this story but it was interesting how he chose to add parts of those stories throughout. For instance, when Obi-Wan is talking about Anakin fighting Count Dooku during the Clone Wars.
The Odyssey is one of my favorite stories and I have wanted an epic poem just like it or The Iliad for a very long time. I hope that Jack Mitchell will write more epic poems from other stories.
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October 27, 2024A thrilling retelling of the Star Wars saga in the style of classic epic poetry
"I look not to myself but to the Force,
In which all things arise and fall away."
Journey to a galaxy far, far away like never before--through lyrical verse and meter. Like the tales of Odysseus and Beowulf, the adventures of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Jyn Erso, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Darth Vader, and the Emperor are fraught with legendary battles, iconic heroes, fearsome warriors, sleek ships, and dangerous monsters. Beginning with Rogue One's rebel heist on Scarif to secure the plans to the Death Star and continuing through the climax of Return of the Jedi, author Jack Mitchell uses the ancient literary form of epic poetry to put a new spin on the Star Wars saga.
Punctuated with stunning illustrations inspired by the terracotta art of Greek antiquity, The Odyssey of Star Wars: An Epic Poem presents the greatest myth of the 20th century as it would have been told nearly 3,000 years ago.
"I look not to myself but to the Force,
In which all things arise and fall away."
Journey to a galaxy far, far away like never before--through lyrical verse and meter. Like the tales of Odysseus and Beowulf, the adventures of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Jyn Erso, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Darth Vader, and the Emperor are fraught with legendary battles, iconic heroes, fearsome warriors, sleek ships, and dangerous monsters. Beginning with Rogue One's rebel heist on Scarif to secure the plans to the Death Star and continuing through the climax of Return of the Jedi, author Jack Mitchell uses the ancient literary form of epic poetry to put a new spin on the Star Wars saga.
Punctuated with stunning illustrations inspired by the terracotta art of Greek antiquity, The Odyssey of Star Wars: An Epic Poem presents the greatest myth of the 20th century as it would have been told nearly 3,000 years ago.
Read
July 2, 2022The #odyssey of #StarWars est une réécriture des aventures des films mais cette fois en vers épiques. Le rythme et la forme ont bien respectée (si je me souviens de mes cours de lettres haha) : c’est super plaisant d’essayer de croiser cette remédiation de la culture classique. On sait tous.tes que #ST est près inspiré de la #mythologie classique, mais l’avoir sous la forme de ces #épopée : c’est un bonheur !
« The choice of Vader, who forsook the way
Ans knelt before the throne, and wore the mask,
Slayer and slain, betrayer and betrayed,
More god than mortal, more machine than man –
Of one lost galaxy, far, far away,
Recalling how it was that, long ago,
The paths of son and father first converged
Above the waste of Tatooine […]»
Le livre lui-même est super édité : les illustrations d’inspiration antiques, les marges larges accueillant les intertitres et notes, tout y est pour reproduire un livre ancien (ou un ouvrage de lettres classiques).
« The choice of Vader, who forsook the way
Ans knelt before the throne, and wore the mask,
Slayer and slain, betrayer and betrayed,
More god than mortal, more machine than man –
Of one lost galaxy, far, far away,
Recalling how it was that, long ago,
The paths of son and father first converged
Above the waste of Tatooine […]»
Le livre lui-même est super édité : les illustrations d’inspiration antiques, les marges larges accueillant les intertitres et notes, tout y est pour reproduire un livre ancien (ou un ouvrage de lettres classiques).
May 15, 2022
I'm not sure the world really needed an epic poetic version of the original Star Wars trilogy, but here it is, and it wasn't half bad. It was a fun stroll through Episodes IV, V, and VI, which I haven't seen in quite a while. What makes it really worth it, though, is the way the author weaves in a fair amount of the 'backstory' from the prequel films and Rogue One.
I'm not convinced that he's really done Homer proud (after all, he did not write this in dactylic hexameter), but he's got plenty of invocations to the muses and long similes to keep us in mind of the ancient bard. Of course, in many ways, film is really our modern equivalent to the ancient poets, so this book is a bit retrograde in that sense. Still, I like reading more than watching films these days, so this worked for me.
If you like Star Wars and you like the Odyssey, then you'll probably like this too :-)
I'm not convinced that he's really done Homer proud (after all, he did not write this in dactylic hexameter), but he's got plenty of invocations to the muses and long similes to keep us in mind of the ancient bard. Of course, in many ways, film is really our modern equivalent to the ancient poets, so this book is a bit retrograde in that sense. Still, I like reading more than watching films these days, so this worked for me.
If you like Star Wars and you like the Odyssey, then you'll probably like this too :-)
November 12, 2023
What a fun read! I love The Odyssey, and I love Star Wars—and these two are married perfectly in this project.
The love that Mitchell has for both is evident in the care he takes to "translate" Star Wars content into the ancient epic format (specifically channeling the classic Fitzgerald translation of The Odyssey while injecting his own flourishes). His cadence here (via syntax and word choice) is spot on—if you love Homer's epics, you'll be instantly comfortable here. And if you love Star Wars as well, the melding of the old style and the modern content will probably make you as giddy as it did me.
Also on display is Mitchell's use of Star Wars' expansive lore in both the narrative structure and classic use of epic figurative language. While this book focuses on Luke's journey in the original trilogy, he expertly weaves in elements of Rogue One and the prequel trilogy, adding both weighty depth and joyful recognition to the characters and events present in those original films. And it was gleeful to picture elements of a far, far away galaxy through the lens of long, long ago epic similes.
The Force of the Muses is with this one.
The love that Mitchell has for both is evident in the care he takes to "translate" Star Wars content into the ancient epic format (specifically channeling the classic Fitzgerald translation of The Odyssey while injecting his own flourishes). His cadence here (via syntax and word choice) is spot on—if you love Homer's epics, you'll be instantly comfortable here. And if you love Star Wars as well, the melding of the old style and the modern content will probably make you as giddy as it did me.
Also on display is Mitchell's use of Star Wars' expansive lore in both the narrative structure and classic use of epic figurative language. While this book focuses on Luke's journey in the original trilogy, he expertly weaves in elements of Rogue One and the prequel trilogy, adding both weighty depth and joyful recognition to the characters and events present in those original films. And it was gleeful to picture elements of a far, far away galaxy through the lens of long, long ago epic similes.
The Force of the Muses is with this one.
October 19, 2022
I’ve been reading this to my son before bed for the past few weeks. I thought it would be fun for both of us experience Star Wars as Homer might have told it. The Iliad and The Odyssey are two if my favorite books so I, at least was eager to see how this experiment would go. Luckily for my son I spend a lot of time reading both those books aloud. So I think I pulled off a good reading.
You know the story. I think the author does a great job adapting the films to the classical Homeric format and style. Giving our most potent modern myth an ancient make over was a worthy and delightful project. If you like Star Wars, and Homer—and really how could you not— this is exactly the book you want to read.
You know the story. I think the author does a great job adapting the films to the classical Homeric format and style. Giving our most potent modern myth an ancient make over was a worthy and delightful project. If you like Star Wars, and Homer—and really how could you not— this is exactly the book you want to read.
April 28, 2023
It’s *chef’s kiss*. The style, the prose, it’s all great. Yes, it’s just the story of the Star Wars original trilogy. But, it feels very complete. The original trilogy is wonderful, the prequels are… fun. But, they feel incredibly separate despite being of (mostly) the same characters. Obviously it’s because the prequels were not anticipated by the time the original trilogy was filmed. What I like about this is how well it weaves the two together, making them feel like a whole complete story. It follows the original trilogy but brings in aspects and references to the prequels as needed and it’s brilliant. As a Classics major and a Star Wars fan, this is great.
August 2, 2023
This book was epic in all the senses of the word! Both an incredible feat of creativity and an excellent reproduction of the epic poetry genre, Mitchell created a remarkable mashup. As a fan of both Star Wars and ancient epic poetry, this book was a perfect fit for my interests and I walked away impressed by Mitchell's deft mixing of the two. One of the elements I was most impressed by was the way flashbacks to the prequels and clone wars were included in the style of the extended mythical digressions in Homer. Mitchell clearly knows Star Wars and epic poetry well, and his knowledge makes the book an excellent and enjoyable read.
January 9, 2022
Surprisingly good! I was afraid this book might be more gimmicky than substantive, but it's legitimately very well done.
I loved that it's written in iambic pentameter, and uses lots of alliteration and internal/slant rhymes. The stories are also well crafted and fun to read.
While this book isn't for every Star Wars fan, it will definitely be appreciated by those who are also English majors and/or love the classics.
I loved that it's written in iambic pentameter, and uses lots of alliteration and internal/slant rhymes. The stories are also well crafted and fun to read.
While this book isn't for every Star Wars fan, it will definitely be appreciated by those who are also English majors and/or love the classics.
February 8, 2022
As most of you know, Ian Doescher's William Shakespeare's Star Wars series retold the nine episodic Star Wars movies as Shakespearean-style plays. Jack Mitchell's The Odyssey of Star Wars took things even more old-school. This book starts out in Rogue One, then continues on through the Original Trilogy: A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi presented in the form of epic poetry akin to the works from Ancient Greece and Rome. And it was such a cool take on the series.
March 1, 2022
This is exactly what you'd want it to be. As a fan of the classic Homer stories, the Odyssey being my favorite literary work, I was thoroughly entertained the entire time I read this. What could easily be just a gimmick is in actuality a well done epic that uses the classic tropes and conventions, while still telling the faithful story.
This is made for very specific people, so I can only recommend to those who know they'd love this kind of work.
This is made for very specific people, so I can only recommend to those who know they'd love this kind of work.
March 4, 2022
I have never read The Illiad, The Odyssey, The Epic of Gilgamesh, or Beowulf so I was a bit leary about trying this book I found on the new items shelf at the library. I am so glad I did. While it was slow reading for a bit and I had to back track a time or two to understand the cadence and flow of the sentence I enjoyed this different translation of my favorites stories of a long time ago and a galaxy far far away
November 28, 2021
Talk about a "re-boot" of an old story! No; that wasn't a dig. But digging up "that old fossil" of a tale was genius (especially after the sucess of the SW Shakespeare series). The chapters divided by location or activity, even if some of the chronology of the films gets moved around a bit (plus some Prequel references throughout), move the story into true myth/fable format.
May 11, 2022
This is a super-cool take on the classic films. Got it as a gift and didn't read it for a while because I don't read much poetry but when I did pick it up I found it really absorbing and beautiful. I'm bothering all my friends now reading parts to them. If you like Star Wars or epic poems you must get this!
December 9, 2022
A really fun experiment: a retelling of the original trilogy written like a true epic poem! It works rather well, the style works with the scope of the story, and we even have some new informations on the background here and here, or new perspective on some scenes. Plus, the book is really beautiful, from the art to the paper used to mimic the epic poem as much as possible!
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