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sharonsm_28's review against another edition
4.0
I read this because I was curious. It turned out to be quite an enjoyable read. I enjoyed reading the characters instead of watching them unfold on screen. It was also interesting to know more about Leia, Luke, and Han. Fans of the movies are going to really enjoy this book. I certainly did. Overall, a great read.
narteest's review against another edition
5.0
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!
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!
lesserjoke's review against another edition
3.0
This book is better than expected for what's essentially a glorified junior novelization of the first Star Wars movie. I particularly like the author's imposed structure of telling the beginning of the story from Leia's perspective, the middle from Han's, and the end from Luke's -- although her insights into Leia's character are so strong (and so unmatched in the other sections) that it might have been better to just keep the princess's point of view throughout. That initial portion of the story feels fresh and engaging, whereas any reader who's seen the movie before will find fewer surprises in the sections led by Han and Luke.
There are some weaknesses to the novel that have been unfortunately inherited from the source material -- like Luke's childhood friend Biggs popping up out of nowhere in the third act -- but in general this is a capable translation of A New Hope from screen to page.
There are some weaknesses to the novel that have been unfortunately inherited from the source material -- like Luke's childhood friend Biggs popping up out of nowhere in the third act -- but in general this is a capable translation of A New Hope from screen to page.
avidbooknerd2028's review against another edition
5.0
This is my first Star Wars book as well as first book by Alexandra Bracken. I'm gonna start with I'm not a big Star Wars fan. I love the movies but I'm not a die hard fan. This book might have converted me to a die hard fan though.
Alexandra Brackens writing style for this book is amazing. She hit it out of the park, it kept me entertained the whole way through. I found it easy to understand for even someone who may not have seen A New Hope movie yet. It intrigued me and kept me wanting more.
I definitely want to read more of her books, as well as more star wars books. Thankfully my boyfriend is a pretty big Star Wars Geek and we have a ton of Star Wars books.
Alexandra Brackens writing style for this book is amazing. She hit it out of the park, it kept me entertained the whole way through. I found it easy to understand for even someone who may not have seen A New Hope movie yet. It intrigued me and kept me wanting more.
I definitely want to read more of her books, as well as more star wars books. Thankfully my boyfriend is a pretty big Star Wars Geek and we have a ton of Star Wars books.
gapagrin's review against another edition
4.0
This is by far one of the best novelisations of a film I've ever read. While it does follow the plot of Star Wars: Episode IV, beginning with Darth Vader's attack on the Tantive IV and subsequent capture of Princess Leia, it's so much more than that. As the title suggests, the book is divided into three sections, one from the point of view of each of the main characters. It opens with Princess Leia's point of view, which makes sense, as she's the first of the major characters we meet.
I really liked Leia in this book. She's an idealist, wanting to save the galaxy. She was raised as a princess but wants to do something so much more than what's expected of her. Her crusade for a better galaxy is in part wanting to escape the 'princess' label she's been raised under. She so desperately wants to make a difference at the same time she wants to show everyone she's not just a figurehead. Fortunately, both of those goals can be met through her involvement and leadership role in the Rebellion. It was nice to see Leia have a more selfish reason for her fight against the Empire, even while she does want to save people. It made her more relatable, I found.
Han gets the same treatment a third of the way into the book. We see that his brash, cocky behaviour is covering up a desire to not get close to anyone, to not care about anyone, because people die and he doesn't want to risk the emotional attachment. Only Chewbacca has managed to get past his barriers, and there's not a lot anyone can do to stop a Wookiee with a life-debt. Only Luke didn't really get a lot of additional backstory, but that's understandable. We saw all that in the film.
While this technically is a novelisation of the film, it takes advantage of the fact that we already know what happened in A New Hope and gives us a lot more character development and more of what happens to our main characters when they're not on-screen. We see more of Han's thought process when he goes tearing off after the stormtroopers on the Death Star, only to come sprinting back the way he had come when it turns out there are more of them than he thought. We see Leia imprisoned and resisting interrogation. We see Luke actually learning to fly an X-Wing from Wedge Antilles before being allowed to take one up against the Death Star. It fills in a lot of gaps that I hadn't even notised were there.
I really liked Leia in this book. She's an idealist, wanting to save the galaxy. She was raised as a princess but wants to do something so much more than what's expected of her. Her crusade for a better galaxy is in part wanting to escape the 'princess' label she's been raised under. She so desperately wants to make a difference at the same time she wants to show everyone she's not just a figurehead. Fortunately, both of those goals can be met through her involvement and leadership role in the Rebellion. It was nice to see Leia have a more selfish reason for her fight against the Empire, even while she does want to save people. It made her more relatable, I found.
Han gets the same treatment a third of the way into the book. We see that his brash, cocky behaviour is covering up a desire to not get close to anyone, to not care about anyone, because people die and he doesn't want to risk the emotional attachment. Only Chewbacca has managed to get past his barriers, and there's not a lot anyone can do to stop a Wookiee with a life-debt. Only Luke didn't really get a lot of additional backstory, but that's understandable. We saw all that in the film.
While this technically is a novelisation of the film, it takes advantage of the fact that we already know what happened in A New Hope and gives us a lot more character development and more of what happens to our main characters when they're not on-screen. We see more of Han's thought process when he goes tearing off after the stormtroopers on the Death Star, only to come sprinting back the way he had come when it turns out there are more of them than he thought. We see Leia imprisoned and resisting interrogation. We see Luke actually learning to fly an X-Wing from Wedge Antilles before being allowed to take one up against the Death Star. It fills in a lot of gaps that I hadn't even notised were there.
cinderelles's review against another edition
5.0
I finished this book waiting for a hotel bus in Hong Kong.
higuysgoodbye12's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
angelica87's review against another edition
3.0
I thought that this wasn't a half bad retelling of A New Hope. I certainly like how the beginning third fleshed out Leia's character. However there were some inconsistencies that kind of stood out for me (one of which being Han saying that the Jedi were ancient when they were around a mere 18 years previously and therefore he would have probably come across a Jedi or two when he was very small) and made this book a 3/5 instead of a 4/5.
brittneywelch's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5