Star Wars Legends Fan Group discussion

JUNE 2022 Canon Group Read


A New Hope: The Princess, the Scoundrel, and the Farm Boy by Alexandra Bracken



The Group read starts on June 15th.

- First published in September 2015
- a junior novelization of Episode IV: A New Hope

"The galaxy is at war.

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...."

It seems like everyone skipped this book, despite it winning the poll. I suspect that’s because people voted for the movie they loved most, rather than the novelization they wanted to read. **sigh**

Anyway, I’m on a mission to catch up on all the group reads before 2025 ends, so I picked up this book this week.

Unfortunately, I have to say this one was a bit of a dud. My negative view might be influenced by the fact that it’s clearly aimed at pre-teens, meaning it’s been overly simplified and “dumbed down,” which makes it less enjoyable for adult readers. That said, it could be a decent starting point for very young Star Wars fans.

The story is split into three sections, each focusing on a different character’s point of view. The book begins with Leia, covering events up to the destruction of Alderaan. Then it shifts to Han’s perspective, from the Mos Eisley Cantina to Obi-Wan’s death on the Death Star. Finally, it moves to Luke’s POV, racing through the Yavin IV scenes and concluding with the Battle of Yavin and its aftermath.

The characters are written as immature and overly childlike, clearly tailored to help young readers connect with them. Leia, in particular, felt out of character—constantly preoccupied with her “aunts,” protocol, and being underestimated by everyone (except maybe her father). Her portrayal leaned too heavily into naivety, which didn’t suit her character at all. Luke’s POV was the least jarring since his youthful inexperience is already canon, but even that was a bit much.

In conclusion, this book wasn’t for me. I didn’t enjoy it, but I think the intended audience—pre-teen readers—might love it.

Sidenote: I’ll admit, that I’ve probably been spoiled by Jude Watson’s Star Wars middle-grade books, which have far more depth and tackle themes that adults can also appreciate.

Apparently Luke's nickname was "Wormie". The name his Tatooine friend group used to irritate him. I didn't know this.