Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Del Rey (1977), Edition: 1st, Mass Market Paperback, 220 pages
Description
Written by George Lucas, the producer and writer of the STAR WARS trilogy, STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE tells the story of Luke Skywalker. Luke lives and works on his father's farm on the remote planet of Tatooine. Bored beyond belief, he yearns for adventures out among the stars, adventures that would take him beyond the farthest galaxies to distant and alien worlds. But Luke gets more than he bargains for when he intercepts a cryptic message from a beautiful princess held captive by a dark and powerful warlord. Luke doesn't know who she is, but he knows he has to save her - and soon, because time is running out. Armed only with courage and the lightsaber that was his father's, Luke is catapulted into the middle of the most savage space war ever... and heads straight for a desperate encounter on the enemy battle station known as the Death Star...… (more)
Media reviews
Despite some continuity errors with later material, Foster's novelization expands the early Star Wars universe and provides some interesting details left out of the movie.
User reviews
LibraryThing member lunza
I was young enough (9) when this came out to believe that Lucas actually wrote the novelization. He did not. He didn't even write the script by himself. That's evident now that we've seen what he (didn't) do with the prequels. He's certainly good at thinking up scenarios, but dialog ... ? He
Anyway, thanks to Alan Dean Foster or whoever the ghostwriter was (not to mention Lucas' co-writers on the script), this is readable for its own sake.
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approaches writing as a chore, a joyless 9-5 job that must be done. If he approached special effects the same way, these films would have nothing to recommend them.Anyway, thanks to Alan Dean Foster or whoever the ghostwriter was (not to mention Lucas' co-writers on the script), this is readable for its own sake.
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LibraryThing member threadnsong
It's a good, solid take on this classic action adventure movie. At the time it was written, no one (especially the film makers) had any idea that it would become a cultural phenomenon. But it did, and owning the original book from back in the day brings some interesting tidbits to life. Besides the
The movie was such a visual experience that the descriptions in the book seem a bit klunky. But it is also interesting to read how Lucas (and probably the late Gary Kurtz) had to put words to things that they saw in their heads. And there are also scenes in the book that didn't make it into the movie; place descriptions are also a good, fill-in backstory.
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fact that Han shot first.The movie was such a visual experience that the descriptions in the book seem a bit klunky. But it is also interesting to read how Lucas (and probably the late Gary Kurtz) had to put words to things that they saw in their heads. And there are also scenes in the book that didn't make it into the movie; place descriptions are also a good, fill-in backstory.
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LibraryThing member vicarofdibley
a young readers version of the sci fi classic with film pics
LibraryThing member Poetgrrl
can't thank my mom enough for bringing me and my brother to see this on the big screen. the book was cool, too, and i encourage everyone to read it.
LibraryThing member Kellswitch
My strongest memory of this book is the fact that my brothers wouldn't let me read it till after I saw the movie. That and I think it was the first movie tie in book I ever read.
I enjoyed the additional background information, and the more detailed look at the world of the movie, and found it to
I enjoyed the additional background information, and the more detailed look at the world of the movie, and found it to
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be an enjoyable addition to the Star Wars universe. Show Less
LibraryThing member LeftHandedMatt
It's based off the original Star Wars script rather than the finished film, which explains all the inconsistencies between it and the movie we all know and love, and was ghost-written by Alan Dean Foster. Unfortunately, it's not written particularly well and doesn't make for a very exciting read.
LibraryThing member loki7
Original novel based on the first Star Wars film, my edition is the 1976 first printing, released about 6 months before the film. Includes scenes that were deleted from the film such as the Jabba the Hut sequence when he was still just a pirate and the opening sequence on Tatooine when Luke goes
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into town and meets his friend Biggs who is about to go off and join the Rebellion. If this had been left in the film it would have added real depth and a sense of loss to the final attack on the Death Star. Show Less
LibraryThing member SumisBooks
Just like the film.
We all know the story but here it is...
Luke Skywalker is a young man on the remote planet of Tatooine who longs for another life. Around him the solar system comes to life and small battles leading to a war. On one side you have the Diplomatic Senate and on the other you have the
A play-by-play book of the movie which is almost like reading the screenplay. Believe it or not this copy of the book is the copy that was published before the movie was released. It is hard for someone like me (a huge Star Wars freak) to envision the story told any other way or for the characters to say anything else but what they say in the movie. But this book hold subtle differences from the film even though it's nearly so closely related I can almost hear the John Williams score playing in the background as I read through these pages.
Beautifully written by George Lucas himself this book is a great addition to anyone's library.
By the way did you know that C-3PO and R2 D2 names are actually spelled "See Threepio" and "Artoo Detoo"? LMAO 😂 I never would have known if I had not read the book.
I would definitely recommend this book to any who proclaim themselves to be a geek of the Star Wars universe. This is definitely a must if you love The Holy Trilogy.
We all know the story but here it is...
Luke Skywalker is a young man on the remote planet of Tatooine who longs for another life. Around him the solar system comes to life and small battles leading to a war. On one side you have the Diplomatic Senate and on the other you have the
Show More
cruel Empire. The Empire seeks dominion over all the star systems in the galaxy. As Luke joins together with his old acquaintance Obi-Wan Kenobi, two droids carrying a vital secret and new friends Han and Chewbacca they embark on an epic adventure that can only be told in a galaxy far far away.A play-by-play book of the movie which is almost like reading the screenplay. Believe it or not this copy of the book is the copy that was published before the movie was released. It is hard for someone like me (a huge Star Wars freak) to envision the story told any other way or for the characters to say anything else but what they say in the movie. But this book hold subtle differences from the film even though it's nearly so closely related I can almost hear the John Williams score playing in the background as I read through these pages.
Beautifully written by George Lucas himself this book is a great addition to anyone's library.
By the way did you know that C-3PO and R2 D2 names are actually spelled "See Threepio" and "Artoo Detoo"? LMAO 😂 I never would have known if I had not read the book.
I would definitely recommend this book to any who proclaim themselves to be a geek of the Star Wars universe. This is definitely a must if you love The Holy Trilogy.
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LibraryThing member wellreadcatlady
Some background, I never seen the Star War movies but I've heard tidbits over the years on what they were about and some of the big things that happen in them as well about characters. With that in mind I thought I would read the original trilogy before watching the movies, especially when I saw
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Barnes & Noble's leather-bound version. I was surprised how short each story was, but especially A New Hope. How is this a movie that started a cult following a huge fandom? This should be like a 30 minute episode of some tv show. It moves at a snails pace yet things are happening that start off this huge battle and Luke gets pulled in by fucking chance. Out of the three I read I disliked A New Hope the most. I'm glad I read it though to get into the other 2 but wow was it painful to get through. Not enough detail, too coincidental. Show Less
LibraryThing member Othemts
Continuing our way through Star Wars novelizations, my daughter and I read this very first piece of "Expanded Universe" media. Like other novelizations, the book contains scenes that were deleted or didn't even make it to filming. Also, Greedo shot first and somehow that was never edited otherwise.
Favorite Passages:
“Remember, Luke, the suffering of one man is the suffering of all. Distances are irrelevant to injustice. If not stopped soon enough, evil eventually reaches out to engulf all men, whether they have opposed it or ignored it.”
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I find it interesting that with the larger mythos of Star Wars being created that Foster hints at story threads that wouldn't be followed-up or would end up very different once the sequels and prequels were rolled out. He also tends to use analogies to things on Earth more than later Star Wars writers would do. A significant downside is that Foster's descriptions of Jawa's use horribly prejudicial terms.Favorite Passages:
“Remember, Luke, the suffering of one man is the suffering of all. Distances are irrelevant to injustice. If not stopped soon enough, evil eventually reaches out to engulf all men, whether they have opposed it or ignored it.”
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LibraryThing member JHemlock
Star Wars as a whisky, adventure epic before it became the over saturated and bloated franchise it is today. A not too bad story written by an underrated writer (NOT LUCAS) Allan Dean Foster deserves more credit for his work.
LibraryThing member JBreedlove
Adapted from the screen play by ADF the book is compact unlike the movie which seemed so sprawling. And of course that was in my mind as I read the book. There were a few additions such as Biggs and the agent at Anchorhead ratting them out and trooper THX-1138 but it read pretty much like the
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movie. The hero's journey. Show Less
Awards
Flicker Tale Award (Nominee — 1978)
Language
Original publication date
1976
Physical description
220 p.; 6.9 inches
ISBN
0345260791 / 9780345260796