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Star Wars Novelizations #6
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
It was a dark time for the Rebel Alliance...
Han Solo, frozen in carbonite, has been delivered into the hands of the vile gangster Jabba the Hutt. Determined to rescue him, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Lando Calrissian launch a hazardous mission against Jabba's Tatooine stronghold.
Now, in the most exciting chapter of the STAR WARS saga, the Rebel commanders have gathered all the warships of the Rebel fleet into a single giant armada. And Darth Vader, who has ordered construction to begin on a new and even more powerful Death Star, makes his plans to crush the Rebel Alliance once and for all.
Han Solo, frozen in carbonite, has been delivered into the hands of the vile gangster Jabba the Hutt. Determined to rescue him, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Lando Calrissian launch a hazardous mission against Jabba's Tatooine stronghold.
Now, in the most exciting chapter of the STAR WARS saga, the Rebel commanders have gathered all the warships of the Rebel fleet into a single giant armada. And Darth Vader, who has ordered construction to begin on a new and even more powerful Death Star, makes his plans to crush the Rebel Alliance once and for all.
181 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 6, 1983
About the author
James Kahn
38 books104 followersJames Kahn is an ER doctor, novelist, TV writer-producer, and singer-songwriter. In addition to many original novels (including the sci-fi trilogy World Enough and Time, Time’s Dark Laughter, and Timefall) he authored the novelizations of Return of the Jedi, Poltergeist, The Goonies and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
His television credits span the genres, from St. Elsewhere, to William Shatner’s TekWar, to Xena: Warrior Princess. He was a Supervising Producer on Star Trek: Voyager, Co-Executive Producer on Melrose Place, Emmy-nominated for his work on All My Children, medical advisor on Spielberg’s ET: The Extraterrestrial; and produced the feature film The Bet, which won Best Feature at the LA Femme Film Festival, 2013.
He’s previously released four Americana music CDs, including Waterline, The 12th Elf, Man Walks Into A Bar, and The Meaning of Life. Matamoros is the first simultaneous novel and CD release, and his first foray into deeply researched historical fiction.
His television credits span the genres, from St. Elsewhere, to William Shatner’s TekWar, to Xena: Warrior Princess. He was a Supervising Producer on Star Trek: Voyager, Co-Executive Producer on Melrose Place, Emmy-nominated for his work on All My Children, medical advisor on Spielberg’s ET: The Extraterrestrial; and produced the feature film The Bet, which won Best Feature at the LA Femme Film Festival, 2013.
He’s previously released four Americana music CDs, including Waterline, The 12th Elf, Man Walks Into A Bar, and The Meaning of Life. Matamoros is the first simultaneous novel and CD release, and his first foray into deeply researched historical fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 352 reviews
May 7, 2018
The Original Trilogy comes to an end!
I have bought the Omnibus edition with the three original “Star Wars” movie novelizations but I’ve chosen this edition to make a better focused review of each single book.
So, once again, if you haven't watched this movie due being frozen in carbonite for 40 years or so, then don't read any further since there are spoilers ahead! Don't say that I didn't warn you, Rebel Scum!
ANOTHER DEATH STAR…REALLY?!
Thanks to Rogue One, we now know that the Empire didn’t do on purpose the fabrication mistake leading to the destruction of the first Death Star…
…but after losing that humongous mobile station, drastically reducing the financial resources of the Galactic Empire, one thought that they should invest in ANYTHING else but…
…another blasted Death Star!!!
Geez!!!
Especially when the Emperor Palpatine didn’t wait until it would be totally finished, at least in its outside armored plates to avoid any incursión of fightercraft in the eventuality of losing the protection of the energy shield (that obviously precisely happened).
I admire Palpatine since he’s one of the very few villains that has been allowed to win and keep in control of the Empire for like 20 years, not much fiction villains are able to enjoy such long victory time without any sensible intervention of heroes. But, it’s sadly unbelievable to see that at the end of his successful period in command of the galaxy, he was “forced” (by good ol’ Georgie’s script) to come up with an uninspired plan of making a second Death Star, instead of choosing something else more ingenious and useful, like a whole fleet of Super Star Destroyers.
And to make it more indignantly, there are the Ewoks, it’s not like I hate them per se, they’re cute alright, but I still can’t believe that a bunch of space care bears were able to defeat in ground combat to a whole Imperial Stormtroopers’ detachment. I’m sure that those Ewoks should think that the Rebel Alliance were a pack of fools, since they were battling the Empire for 23 years without success and the Ewoks “beat” the Empire in an afternoon.
Geez!!!
SO WHAT’S DIFFERENT HERE ANYWAY?
I have to admit that while Return of the Jedi novelizations have several relevant additional scenes, like…
…Luke Skywalker making his new lightsaber at Obi-Wan’s house.
…Jabba is a lot more disgusting and meaner to poor Leia during her slave time.
…Ewoks were a lot more difficult to convince them to help the Rebels.
…you can read about the whole inner conflict on Darth Vader’s mind between his loyalty to the Emperor and the option of helping Luke.
…Palpatine is able to learn that Yoda was Luke’s second teacher of his Jedi training.
…the Second Death Star was seconds away of destroying Endor’s moon.
And as you can guess, always there are odd comments that they are contradictory with the whole Star Wars story, taking in account how the Prequel Trilogy was developed…
…Obi-Wan’s force spirit tells Luke that Owen Lars was his brother (what?!) and that her mom, in other words, Padmé Amidala, died when Luke and Leia were four years old (dang!).
…Palpatine’s backstory is told in detail, but due the Prequel trilogy, and even if you may indulge me with the existence of some (now “legends” (non-canonical)) novels like Darth Plagueis (that it should be titled Darth Sidious, since it was more developed the life of Palpatine than Plagueis), you may guess that many of those details became contradictory.
I have bought the Omnibus edition with the three original “Star Wars” movie novelizations but I’ve chosen this edition to make a better focused review of each single book.
So, once again, if you haven't watched this movie due being frozen in carbonite for 40 years or so, then don't read any further since there are spoilers ahead! Don't say that I didn't warn you, Rebel Scum!
ANOTHER DEATH STAR…REALLY?!
Thanks to Rogue One, we now know that the Empire didn’t do on purpose the fabrication mistake leading to the destruction of the first Death Star…
…but after losing that humongous mobile station, drastically reducing the financial resources of the Galactic Empire, one thought that they should invest in ANYTHING else but…
…another blasted Death Star!!!
Geez!!!
Especially when the Emperor Palpatine didn’t wait until it would be totally finished, at least in its outside armored plates to avoid any incursión of fightercraft in the eventuality of losing the protection of the energy shield (that obviously precisely happened).
I admire Palpatine since he’s one of the very few villains that has been allowed to win and keep in control of the Empire for like 20 years, not much fiction villains are able to enjoy such long victory time without any sensible intervention of heroes. But, it’s sadly unbelievable to see that at the end of his successful period in command of the galaxy, he was “forced” (by good ol’ Georgie’s script) to come up with an uninspired plan of making a second Death Star, instead of choosing something else more ingenious and useful, like a whole fleet of Super Star Destroyers.
And to make it more indignantly, there are the Ewoks, it’s not like I hate them per se, they’re cute alright, but I still can’t believe that a bunch of space care bears were able to defeat in ground combat to a whole Imperial Stormtroopers’ detachment. I’m sure that those Ewoks should think that the Rebel Alliance were a pack of fools, since they were battling the Empire for 23 years without success and the Ewoks “beat” the Empire in an afternoon.
Geez!!!
SO WHAT’S DIFFERENT HERE ANYWAY?
I have to admit that while Return of the Jedi novelizations have several relevant additional scenes, like…
…Luke Skywalker making his new lightsaber at Obi-Wan’s house.
…Jabba is a lot more disgusting and meaner to poor Leia during her slave time.
…Ewoks were a lot more difficult to convince them to help the Rebels.
…you can read about the whole inner conflict on Darth Vader’s mind between his loyalty to the Emperor and the option of helping Luke.
…Palpatine is able to learn that Yoda was Luke’s second teacher of his Jedi training.
…the Second Death Star was seconds away of destroying Endor’s moon.
And as you can guess, always there are odd comments that they are contradictory with the whole Star Wars story, taking in account how the Prequel Trilogy was developed…
…Obi-Wan’s force spirit tells Luke that Owen Lars was his brother (what?!) and that her mom, in other words, Padmé Amidala, died when Luke and Leia were four years old (dang!).
…Palpatine’s backstory is told in detail, but due the Prequel trilogy, and even if you may indulge me with the existence of some (now “legends” (non-canonical)) novels like Darth Plagueis (that it should be titled Darth Sidious, since it was more developed the life of Palpatine than Plagueis), you may guess that many of those details became contradictory.
July 29, 2021
Return of the Jedi (Star Wars: Novelizations, #6), James Kahn
The last part of the Star Wars saga tells the story of the last confrontation between Luke Skywalker and his evil father Darth Vader, as well as the last battle of the rebels against the dark empire.
The story begins in the palace of the monstrous Jabba the Hutt, who holds both Han Solo and Princess Leia prisoners for his own decadent amusement. Until Luke Skywalker appears on the scene and frees his friends.
The setting changes, and the rebels are already confronted with a new, even more gigantic Death Star than in the first part, on which the final battle of good versus evil is fought. To prepare for the destruction of the Death Star, the rebels are gathering their troops.
As the vanguard, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Leia finally land on the forest moon Endor, in whose orbit the still imperfect Death Star does its rounds. There they get help from the Ewoks. In the final battle, the gigantic armada of rebel ships and the fleet of the empire face each other.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش سال 1984میلادی
عنوان: بازگشت جدای: جنگ ستارگان شش؛ اثر: جیمز کان، فیلمنامه از: جرج لوکاس، و لاورنس کازدان؛ مترجم رامین گلبانگ؛ تهران، بهاره، 1363؛ در 199ص، مصور؛ چاپ دوم 1364؛ در 200ص؛ چاپ دیگر تهران، ساحل، 1370، در 199ص؛ موضوع داستانهای نویسندگان ایالات متحده آمریکا - سده 20م
عنوان: بازگشت جدای: جنگ ستارگان شش؛ اثر: جیمز کان، فیلمنامه از: جرج لوکاس، و لاورنس کازدان؛ مترجم رامین گلبانگ؛ تهران، بهاره، 1363؛ در 199ص، مصور؛ چاپ دوم 1364؛ در 200ص؛
با همین عنوان اصلی «کریستوفر گلدن» نیز کتابی دارند، که خانم «سارا صفاتی» و آقای «فرهاد ارکانی» با عنوان «بازگشت جدای» آن را در سال 1398، برای شرکت علمی فرهنگی ترجمه کرده اند
بخش پایانی «حماسه جنگ ستارگان»، و داستان آخرین رویارویی «لوک اسکای واکر»، با پدر شرور خویش «دارت ویدر»، و همچنین آخرین نبرد شورشیان، با امپراتوری تاریکی است؛ داستان از کاخ «جبه هوت» آغاز میشود، «هان سولو» و «پرنسس لیا» زندانی هستند؛ «لوک اسکای واکر» دوستانش را آزاد میکند؛ و نبرد نهایی خیر در برابر شر آغاز میشود؛
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 06/05/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
The last part of the Star Wars saga tells the story of the last confrontation between Luke Skywalker and his evil father Darth Vader, as well as the last battle of the rebels against the dark empire.
The story begins in the palace of the monstrous Jabba the Hutt, who holds both Han Solo and Princess Leia prisoners for his own decadent amusement. Until Luke Skywalker appears on the scene and frees his friends.
The setting changes, and the rebels are already confronted with a new, even more gigantic Death Star than in the first part, on which the final battle of good versus evil is fought. To prepare for the destruction of the Death Star, the rebels are gathering their troops.
As the vanguard, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Leia finally land on the forest moon Endor, in whose orbit the still imperfect Death Star does its rounds. There they get help from the Ewoks. In the final battle, the gigantic armada of rebel ships and the fleet of the empire face each other.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش سال 1984میلادی
عنوان: بازگشت جدای: جنگ ستارگان شش؛ اثر: جیمز کان، فیلمنامه از: جرج لوکاس، و لاورنس کازدان؛ مترجم رامین گلبانگ؛ تهران، بهاره، 1363؛ در 199ص، مصور؛ چاپ دوم 1364؛ در 200ص؛ چاپ دیگر تهران، ساحل، 1370، در 199ص؛ موضوع داستانهای نویسندگان ایالات متحده آمریکا - سده 20م
عنوان: بازگشت جدای: جنگ ستارگان شش؛ اثر: جیمز کان، فیلمنامه از: جرج لوکاس، و لاورنس کازدان؛ مترجم رامین گلبانگ؛ تهران، بهاره، 1363؛ در 199ص، مصور؛ چاپ دوم 1364؛ در 200ص؛
با همین عنوان اصلی «کریستوفر گلدن» نیز کتابی دارند، که خانم «سارا صفاتی» و آقای «فرهاد ارکانی» با عنوان «بازگشت جدای» آن را در سال 1398، برای شرکت علمی فرهنگی ترجمه کرده اند
بخش پایانی «حماسه جنگ ستارگان»، و داستان آخرین رویارویی «لوک اسکای واکر»، با پدر شرور خویش «دارت ویدر»، و همچنین آخرین نبرد شورشیان، با امپراتوری تاریکی است؛ داستان از کاخ «جبه هوت» آغاز میشود، «هان سولو» و «پرنسس لیا» زندانی هستند؛ «لوک اسکای واکر» دوستانش را آزاد میکند؛ و نبرد نهایی خیر در برابر شر آغاز میشود؛
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 06/05/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
September 16, 2018
Amazing!
Frozen in carbonite and imprisoned in Jabba the Hutt's palace Han Solo awaits his rescue by Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Lando Calrissian.
But the battle has just begun as the empire has gathered together their largest fleet to decimate the Rebel Alliance once and for all. And even worse, the Death Star is rebuilt and operational! Can Luke Skywalker and his friends stop the evil empire before they claim the galaxy has their own?
Perfectly written just like the other two books. Again true to the movie so much that it is like reading a screenplay. The lines that they say the characters that they play and everything surrounding was just like in the film. Though this book was not written by George Lucas it was written off of his original screenplay and story. Hence the reason why they're probably so much alike.
I am very sad to report however that this is the only book out of the three which starts with a page that says those immortal words:
"A long time ago in a galaxy far far away..."
Very sad. But I guess when these books were first published (mine are first editions) Star Wars hadn't really become as big of a franchise as it is today and those words weren't really a big deal until the third movie was released. So it all makes sense and I will forgive them.
As the third and final installment in the Holy Trilogy this is definitely something that every Star Wars fan needs to complete their Star Wars library.
Frozen in carbonite and imprisoned in Jabba the Hutt's palace Han Solo awaits his rescue by Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Lando Calrissian.
But the battle has just begun as the empire has gathered together their largest fleet to decimate the Rebel Alliance once and for all. And even worse, the Death Star is rebuilt and operational! Can Luke Skywalker and his friends stop the evil empire before they claim the galaxy has their own?
Perfectly written just like the other two books. Again true to the movie so much that it is like reading a screenplay. The lines that they say the characters that they play and everything surrounding was just like in the film. Though this book was not written by George Lucas it was written off of his original screenplay and story. Hence the reason why they're probably so much alike.
I am very sad to report however that this is the only book out of the three which starts with a page that says those immortal words:
"A long time ago in a galaxy far far away..."
Very sad. But I guess when these books were first published (mine are first editions) Star Wars hadn't really become as big of a franchise as it is today and those words weren't really a big deal until the third movie was released. So it all makes sense and I will forgive them.
As the third and final installment in the Holy Trilogy this is definitely something that every Star Wars fan needs to complete their Star Wars library.
January 8, 2017
Description: It was a dark time for the Rebel Alliance...
Han Solo, frozen in carbonite, has been delivered into the hands of the vile gangster Jabba the Hutt. Determined to rescue him, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Lando Calrissian launch a hazardous mission against Jabba's Tatooine stronghold.
Now, in the most exciting chapter of the STAR WARS saga, the Rebel commanders have gathered all the warships of the Rebel fleet into a single giant armada. And Darth Vader, who has ordered construction to begin on a new and even more powerful Death Star, makes his plans to crush the Rebel Alliance once and for all.
NB: Only the films are discussed in these reviews, I see that the novelisations are pretty low starred.
My favourite - the forest, the furballs, and Luke saves the soul of his father. Fab-U-Luss!
Han Solo, frozen in carbonite, has been delivered into the hands of the vile gangster Jabba the Hutt. Determined to rescue him, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Lando Calrissian launch a hazardous mission against Jabba's Tatooine stronghold.
Now, in the most exciting chapter of the STAR WARS saga, the Rebel commanders have gathered all the warships of the Rebel fleet into a single giant armada. And Darth Vader, who has ordered construction to begin on a new and even more powerful Death Star, makes his plans to crush the Rebel Alliance once and for all.
NB: Only the films are discussed in these reviews, I see that the novelisations are pretty low starred.
My favourite - the forest, the furballs, and Luke saves the soul of his father. Fab-U-Luss!
May 12, 2021
I had to lower my rating. That's the danger of rating a book long after you read it. Upon re-read, it was the story I was awarding five stars, not this book. Lucas' third act is brilliant, Kahn's writing was not.
Max Allan Collins is a supremely better adapter and I wish he could go back and write all of the novelizations.
Biggest complaint: R2D2 makes no sense as Artoodeetoo.
Second biggest complaint: I do not need a transliteration of all of the aforementioned beeps and wheezes. After almost 40 years I can write his dialogue in my head!
Max Allan Collins is a supremely better adapter and I wish he could go back and write all of the novelizations.
Biggest complaint: R2D2 makes no sense as Artoodeetoo.
Second biggest complaint: I do not need a transliteration of all of the aforementioned beeps and wheezes. After almost 40 years I can write his dialogue in my head!
March 2, 2018
Tiesiog skaitai, o filmas vizualizuojasi priešais tave. Nuotykiai tęsiasi. Lėja, Lukas, Lando bei Čubis su abiem robotais mėgina susigrąžinti Haną. Kuris ne tik pateko į Džabos nemalonę, jo rankas, bet ir tapo "meno kūriniu". Kiekvienas puslapis kupinas veiksmo, jog kaip ir veikėjai nesugebi atsikvėpti, baigi vieną etapą ir skubi į kitą, kurios pagrindinis tikslas - išsigelbėti nuo Imperijos, stoti į paskutinį mūšį ir jį laimėti. Knyga ne tik kupinta kosminės, tarppasaulinės Odisėjos, bet ir vidinio pasaulio, pamąstymui skirtų minutėlių. Tiesiog norisi, kad šitas pasaulis niekada nesibaigtų.
February 23, 2018
How could this book compare to the film that ended the original Star Wars trilogy?
The answer is: It can't, really.
Though good for what it is, you should definitely watch the film if you haven't already. Just make sure you watch the first two movies before this one.
The answer is: It can't, really.
Though good for what it is, you should definitely watch the film if you haven't already. Just make sure you watch the first two movies before this one.
October 12, 2021
4.0 Stars
This was a solid novelization. It didn't add a lot of new details to the story, but I still enjoyed the read.
This was a solid novelization. It didn't add a lot of new details to the story, but I still enjoyed the read.
July 15, 2014
"It was this that the Alliance was fighting to preserve: furry creatures in mammoth forests"
Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, and Lando Calrissian have a daring plan to rescue Han Solo, who is in the clutches of the evil Jabba the Hutt on Tatooine. Near Endor's moon, the Emperor builds an even bigger, more forboding Death Star: one that could destroy the Rebel Alliance once and for all.
NOTE: Based on novel and audiobook.
I Liked:
I rate novelizations on two primary criteria A) how the book is written and B) what new aspects are shown in the book. My complaint from the last two classic Star Wars novelizations was how little new, insightful material there was.
Return of the Jedi remedies that in many ways. Despite its quick pace and action sequences, the book has a startling amount of "behind the scenes"--some of the first clues for fans about the prequels. These occur mostly when Obi-Wan and Luke are discussing his father. Here, we learn that A) Anakin didn't realize Luke and Leia's mom was pregnant, B) Owen was Obi-Wan's brother (Man, Owen was mean to call Obi-Wan a "crazy, old fool"!), C) that Jabba the Hutt was a Jedi killer, and D) that Gamorreans hate droids (didn't know that one before!). (But, see below.)
But the highlight is the in-depth character insight. The two main characters we see are Luke and (surprisinigly) Vader. Luke contemplates the Emperor and Vader's destructions on numerous occasions. In the elevator, he considers overthrowing his father and taking Vader's place at the Emperor's side. In the presence of the Emperor, a lot more insight into his character is given, his struggles, and his temptations along with the knowledge that the Emperor feared Luke would turn against him. We even get to learn that the Emperor knew Yoda! And, kudos to Kahn for giving the very first Vader POV, one that gets deep into his mind (and is a nice parallel to Revenge of the Sith written by Stover). Vader here fears his son will kill him, is enraged at his son's resistance to the Dark Side, and reminisces on his long dead wife. It's touching and a nice sense of closure.
The characters are again, well written. Luke makes a nice change from farm boy to Jedi. His insight into his temptation is by far the best described in the classic trilogy. Leia has "de-iced" without becoming a damsel in distress, and Han's edges have smoothed over just a wee bit.
I Didn't Like:
Unfortunately, most of the coolest "behind the scenes" of the novelization (specifically about the prequels) have been retconned. As we know from Revenge of the Sith, Anakin knew Padme was pregnant (though, surprisingly, neither knew she was pregnant with twins). Padme didn't hand Luke to Obi-Wan and take Leia to Bail. Owen is Anakin's step-brother, not Obi-Wan's brother. Jabba the Hutt has never been shown in the prequels to be a Jedi Killer (though, that would make that Clone Wars movie interesting!). This isn't exactly a fault of the novelization, but it is too bad that the continuity doesn't line up.
While there is more extra information, particularly at the end when Luke is facing off with Vader and the Emperor, most of the story is strictly a retelling of the movie, slightly dressed up. I wish a few deleted scenes or more character insights had appeared.
Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
Little to none.
Oolah the dancing girl, and Leia later on. Han becomes jealous of Luke and Leia.
Luke and his friends make an explosive escape from Jabba the Hutt. Several major characters die.
Overall:
Of all the classic trilogy novelizations, this is by far the best. It gives good insights into Luke, nice tidbits about the prequels (unfortunately, most of these don't even apply to continuity anymore), and a good telling of the story. It's not much different than the movie, but it still is worth reading at least once, particularly for Star Wars fans. 3.5 rounded generously to 4 stars.
Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, and Lando Calrissian have a daring plan to rescue Han Solo, who is in the clutches of the evil Jabba the Hutt on Tatooine. Near Endor's moon, the Emperor builds an even bigger, more forboding Death Star: one that could destroy the Rebel Alliance once and for all.
NOTE: Based on novel and audiobook.
I Liked:
I rate novelizations on two primary criteria A) how the book is written and B) what new aspects are shown in the book. My complaint from the last two classic Star Wars novelizations was how little new, insightful material there was.
Return of the Jedi remedies that in many ways. Despite its quick pace and action sequences, the book has a startling amount of "behind the scenes"--some of the first clues for fans about the prequels. These occur mostly when Obi-Wan and Luke are discussing his father. Here, we learn that A) Anakin didn't realize Luke and Leia's mom was pregnant, B) Owen was Obi-Wan's brother (Man, Owen was mean to call Obi-Wan a "crazy, old fool"!), C) that Jabba the Hutt was a Jedi killer, and D) that Gamorreans hate droids (didn't know that one before!). (But, see below.)
But the highlight is the in-depth character insight. The two main characters we see are Luke and (surprisinigly) Vader. Luke contemplates the Emperor and Vader's destructions on numerous occasions. In the elevator, he considers overthrowing his father and taking Vader's place at the Emperor's side. In the presence of the Emperor, a lot more insight into his character is given, his struggles, and his temptations along with the knowledge that the Emperor feared Luke would turn against him. We even get to learn that the Emperor knew Yoda! And, kudos to Kahn for giving the very first Vader POV, one that gets deep into his mind (and is a nice parallel to Revenge of the Sith written by Stover). Vader here fears his son will kill him, is enraged at his son's resistance to the Dark Side, and reminisces on his long dead wife. It's touching and a nice sense of closure.
The characters are again, well written. Luke makes a nice change from farm boy to Jedi. His insight into his temptation is by far the best described in the classic trilogy. Leia has "de-iced" without becoming a damsel in distress, and Han's edges have smoothed over just a wee bit.
I Didn't Like:
Unfortunately, most of the coolest "behind the scenes" of the novelization (specifically about the prequels) have been retconned. As we know from Revenge of the Sith, Anakin knew Padme was pregnant (though, surprisingly, neither knew she was pregnant with twins). Padme didn't hand Luke to Obi-Wan and take Leia to Bail. Owen is Anakin's step-brother, not Obi-Wan's brother. Jabba the Hutt has never been shown in the prequels to be a Jedi Killer (though, that would make that Clone Wars movie interesting!). This isn't exactly a fault of the novelization, but it is too bad that the continuity doesn't line up.
While there is more extra information, particularly at the end when Luke is facing off with Vader and the Emperor, most of the story is strictly a retelling of the movie, slightly dressed up. I wish a few deleted scenes or more character insights had appeared.
Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
Little to none.
Oolah the dancing girl, and Leia later on. Han becomes jealous of Luke and Leia.
Luke and his friends make an explosive escape from Jabba the Hutt. Several major characters die.
Overall:
Of all the classic trilogy novelizations, this is by far the best. It gives good insights into Luke, nice tidbits about the prequels (unfortunately, most of these don't even apply to continuity anymore), and a good telling of the story. It's not much different than the movie, but it still is worth reading at least once, particularly for Star Wars fans. 3.5 rounded generously to 4 stars.
November 22, 2020
I own this book.
Boy did that hurt. As somebody who treats Anakin Skywalker as their comfort character, reading this book made me teary eyed at a number of different points. For those among us who haven't watched Episode 6 of Star Wars, we see Chanel Boots Luke Skywalker warm into his new role as a Jedi Knight. He has completed his training and now must defeat the Emperor and his father, Darth Vader, and destroy the remainders of the empire. Everything is riding on Luke who is learning more and more about himself and his family throughout this book. As this book was written in 1983, two decades before the prequel trilogy, it's so interesting to see what was changed in the canon. Padme didn't die immediately, Anakin didn't know Padme was pregnant, Owen was Obi-Wan's brother. The differents mount up. But this book really lets us see inside the characters heads and the story flows really well, even knowing a lot of it has been changed in the canon universe now.
Boy did that hurt. As somebody who treats Anakin Skywalker as their comfort character, reading this book made me teary eyed at a number of different points. For those among us who haven't watched Episode 6 of Star Wars, we see Chanel Boots Luke Skywalker warm into his new role as a Jedi Knight. He has completed his training and now must defeat the Emperor and his father, Darth Vader, and destroy the remainders of the empire. Everything is riding on Luke who is learning more and more about himself and his family throughout this book. As this book was written in 1983, two decades before the prequel trilogy, it's so interesting to see what was changed in the canon. Padme didn't die immediately, Anakin didn't know Padme was pregnant, Owen was Obi-Wan's brother. The differents mount up. But this book really lets us see inside the characters heads and the story flows really well, even knowing a lot of it has been changed in the canon universe now.
April 29, 2023
This was by far the best of the three. The Throne Room scene was amazing in this. Getting the POV of all three of them was really neat and incredibly well written. I loved it.
Also, Vader's final thoughts before he died were just so tragic. Just thinking about Padme and Obi-Wan and regretting everything.
I know not everyone sees eye to eye on his redemption, but I love it.
Also, Vader's final thoughts before he died were just so tragic. Just thinking about Padme and Obi-Wan and regretting everything.
I know not everyone sees eye to eye on his redemption, but I love it.
January 27, 2024
Enjoyable but don't expect to find out any extra information
June 8, 2013
This man should be punished for trying to write dialog for R2-D2 and Chewbacca. It makes for obnoxious reading, until one realizes that you can just skip those bits. It does make me wonder how Dave Wolverton could ever have read this book (assuming that he did, of course), and then go on to write the ghastly Courtship of Princess Leia.
There are some good moments spent in Vader's head at the end. Seeing Luke without the mask reminds him of how he once looked, "and this memory brought a wave of other memories with it. Memories of brotherhood, and home. His dear wife. The freedom of deep space. Obi-Wan.
"Obi-Wan, his friend. . .and how that friendship had turned. . .This boy had pulled him from that pit -here, now, with this act. This boy was good. The boy was good and the boy had come from him -so there must have been good in him, too. . .'Tell your sister. . .you were right." With that, he closed his eyes, and Darth Vader -Anakin Skywalker- died."
There were some things that don't fit into the story arc any more, but taken into total context, that last bit still makes me tear up (I am hopeless).
There are some good moments spent in Vader's head at the end. Seeing Luke without the mask reminds him of how he once looked, "and this memory brought a wave of other memories with it. Memories of brotherhood, and home. His dear wife. The freedom of deep space. Obi-Wan.
"Obi-Wan, his friend. . .and how that friendship had turned. . .This boy had pulled him from that pit -here, now, with this act. This boy was good. The boy was good and the boy had come from him -so there must have been good in him, too. . .'Tell your sister. . .you were right." With that, he closed his eyes, and Darth Vader -Anakin Skywalker- died."
There were some things that don't fit into the story arc any more, but taken into total context, that last bit still makes me tear up (I am hopeless).
June 26, 2018
Return of the Jedi was my least favorite movie of the original trilogy, while there are some very good moments and some of my favorite too, they were overshadowed by bad things. But I have come to love it over time, but this novelization puts every bad thing on a high pedestal and also I just cannot stand the Ewoks. If you think watching them was bad, reading of them and about them was a lot worse.
Finally, even though some good moments shine through, sadly they cannot overshadow the bad things. But I heard the prequel novelizations are a lot better. Now, that the novelizations are over I can finally dive into the extended universe books and hope that they fare better than this.
Finally, even though some good moments shine through, sadly they cannot overshadow the bad things. But I heard the prequel novelizations are a lot better. Now, that the novelizations are over I can finally dive into the extended universe books and hope that they fare better than this.
January 28, 2024
Of all the SW movie novelizations I’ve read so far this one is the best. Kahn writes with a distinctive style and adds to the characters. Small things like Calrissian’s compulsory gambling problem, Solo’s awakening to something other than himself or Anakin’s last thoughts. Not much but dearly appreciated.
November 19, 2023
After another protracted pause, Luke cleared his throat. “I realize this concept may be abstract--may be difficult to draw these connections, " he started slowly, "but it's terribly important for the entire galaxy, for our Rebel force to destroy the Imperial presence here on Endor. Look up, there, through the smoke hole in the roof. Just through that tiny hole, you can count a hundred stars. In the whole sky there are millions, and billions more you can't even see. And they all have planets, and moons, and happy people just like you. And the Empire is destroying all that. You can ... you could get dizzy just lying on your back and staring up at all the starshine. You could almost...explode, it's so beautiful sometimes. And you're part of the beauty, it's all part of the same Force. And the Empire is trying to turn out the lights.”
January 29, 2015
It may be largely due to a small little mention in this book that we have the prequel trilogy, especially that brutal lava-laden smackdown at the end of Episode III.
Obi-Wan gives a lengthier explanation of his "lie" about Luke's father. It's what we aren't treated to in the filmed version of the script. Included are revelations that Anakin was once a good man (we get that from the film), that he and Obi-Wan were friends (we get that, too), that they had a falling out (we don't get that), and that they fought (don't get that either). Anakin falls into a pit of lava, and his hatred is so powerful that he survives what should have killed him. The Vader persona is literally burned into Anakin.
It got such a brief passing mention, but it ignited fans' imagination for decades right up until it was finally seen on film in 2005.
These novelizations of the film provide further background and greater character development that the limits of the screenplay genre and two hours on film won't allow for. For once, I will say "watch the movie BEFORE reading the book" as that's the way it's meant to be experienced. However, once you've done that, if you like the movies, then read the books and enjoy going a bit deeper into the story.
Obi-Wan gives a lengthier explanation of his "lie" about Luke's father. It's what we aren't treated to in the filmed version of the script. Included are revelations that Anakin was once a good man (we get that from the film), that he and Obi-Wan were friends (we get that, too), that they had a falling out (we don't get that), and that they fought (don't get that either). Anakin falls into a pit of lava, and his hatred is so powerful that he survives what should have killed him. The Vader persona is literally burned into Anakin.
It got such a brief passing mention, but it ignited fans' imagination for decades right up until it was finally seen on film in 2005.
These novelizations of the film provide further background and greater character development that the limits of the screenplay genre and two hours on film won't allow for. For once, I will say "watch the movie BEFORE reading the book" as that's the way it's meant to be experienced. However, once you've done that, if you like the movies, then read the books and enjoy going a bit deeper into the story.
January 26, 2016
Great. I read the three, Star Wars, Episode IV: A New Hope, Star Wars, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and this one.
They are all good in their own way. Star Wars, Episode IV: A New Hope by George Lucas and Alan Dean Foster is probably my favorite, but each has their own strength.
This one's strength is action - James Kahn writes it particularly well, which is no small task considering the incredible source material.
I highly recommend this trilogy for your die hard Star Wars fan who just wants to see these tales from a different perspective.
They are all good in their own way. Star Wars, Episode IV: A New Hope by George Lucas and Alan Dean Foster is probably my favorite, but each has their own strength.
This one's strength is action - James Kahn writes it particularly well, which is no small task considering the incredible source material.
I highly recommend this trilogy for your die hard Star Wars fan who just wants to see these tales from a different perspective.
September 10, 2016
This is actually more of a 2.5 star read for me. Some of the character names made no sense, spelling them phonetically instead of as they were actually spelled. It also felt like the author really didn't know his characters well, because they weren't well developed beyond the screenplay versions of them. It did have a few interesting moments with Darth Vader, which caused me to round up my rating of it. It is just not quite as good as the other novelizations, and the movie just does this more justice.
October 15, 2021
Podcast for Return of the Jedi, happy listening.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1BOU...
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1BOU...
August 28, 2015
Man, this was not so good for me. I am way to close to the original trilogy films and I could not get over the stilted language and the lack of character development. I'm assuming the ROTJ script got handed to Kahn and he had to write a novel based off of movie he had not even seen? I hope so, because otherwise, woof.
I've read so many EXCELLENT Expanded Universe novels and this did not even come close. Perhaps if I had read this as a kid in 1983 with no other knowledge I would have been OK, because this was a HUGE bestseller in 1983. Huge.
When I read a novelization of a movie, I'm hoping for further insight into the minds of the characters, what they are thinking during moments of action, etc. In this one, the only moments I enjoyed were at the end, when Luke and Vader came to an understanding and we got to see a bit more of what was going through Luke's head during their confrontation. Oddly, Lando Calrissian was the other character I got a little more insight into, which I thought was an odd choice, but ok overall.
The Han/Leia romance was so off. For example:
"Han and Leia turned to each other full of feeling. All they'd struggled for, all they'd dreamed of-gone now...Han had never known love, so enamored of himself was he; Leia had never known love, so wrapped up in social upheaval was she..."
And,
"Han and Leia looked at each other, fixed their gazes deep in each other's eyes, swam there in the wells of their souls for a suspended, eternal moment, during which all was felt, understood, touched, shared."
Where's the charming banter?! Nope. Just too busy staring at each other.
Also, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT do this:
"'Ahrck grah rahr hrowrowhr," Chewbacca agreed.
or
"'Beed doop beep deep,' said Artoo."
Don't do it.
Read for the "year I was born" square on my work Book Bingo Challenge!
I've read so many EXCELLENT Expanded Universe novels and this did not even come close. Perhaps if I had read this as a kid in 1983 with no other knowledge I would have been OK, because this was a HUGE bestseller in 1983. Huge.
When I read a novelization of a movie, I'm hoping for further insight into the minds of the characters, what they are thinking during moments of action, etc. In this one, the only moments I enjoyed were at the end, when Luke and Vader came to an understanding and we got to see a bit more of what was going through Luke's head during their confrontation. Oddly, Lando Calrissian was the other character I got a little more insight into, which I thought was an odd choice, but ok overall.
The Han/Leia romance was so off. For example:
"Han and Leia turned to each other full of feeling. All they'd struggled for, all they'd dreamed of-gone now...Han had never known love, so enamored of himself was he; Leia had never known love, so wrapped up in social upheaval was she..."
And,
"Han and Leia looked at each other, fixed their gazes deep in each other's eyes, swam there in the wells of their souls for a suspended, eternal moment, during which all was felt, understood, touched, shared."
Where's the charming banter?! Nope. Just too busy staring at each other.
Also, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT do this:
"'Ahrck grah rahr hrowrowhr," Chewbacca agreed.
or
"'Beed doop beep deep,' said Artoo."
Don't do it.
Read for the "year I was born" square on my work Book Bingo Challenge!
May 18, 2016
The epic conclusion to the Original Star Wars trilogy! Luke Skywalker has returned to his home planet Tattooine to rescue Han Solo (who has been cryogenically frozen in Carbonite) from the notorious crime lord Jabba the Hutt!
On the other end, the Galactic Empire is putting in the final stages to a new and more powerful Death Star. The Rebel Alliance believes the Death Star is not yet fully operational but that's what the Empire want's them to think. The Rebels send a strike force to the Forest moon of Endor to destroy the shield bunker that is providing the shield to the Death Star so the Rebel Fleet can destroy the station.
And yet Luke returns to Dagobah to finish his Jedi training, Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi convince him that one more task remains, confront Darth Vader. Luke accompanies the Rebel Team to Endor to destroy the bunker, led by Han Solo, and they come across Ewoks, little teddy bear like creatures, who assist the Rebels in fighting off the Stormtroopers. Luke leaves the group to confront Vader, who turns out to be Luke's father, Anakin Skywalker. Luke is captured and turned over to Vader, and tries to convince him to turn back to the light, but fails, and Vader takes him to his master, The Emperor, who plans to corrupt Luke and take Vader's place as his apprentice.
The Rebel Fleet approaches the Death Star and they walk right into a trap, they're not only facing the Death Star, but the entire Imperial Fleet. The fleet is led by Lando Calrissian, who is piloting the Millinneum Falcon, which he used to own before Han took ownership of it.
Some people who've seen the movies before probably find it irritating that I'm telling the story word for word, but like I said I'm a die-hard Star Wars fan, so I apologize. Another fun read with additional scenes not included in the movie.
On the other end, the Galactic Empire is putting in the final stages to a new and more powerful Death Star. The Rebel Alliance believes the Death Star is not yet fully operational but that's what the Empire want's them to think. The Rebels send a strike force to the Forest moon of Endor to destroy the shield bunker that is providing the shield to the Death Star so the Rebel Fleet can destroy the station.
And yet Luke returns to Dagobah to finish his Jedi training, Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi convince him that one more task remains, confront Darth Vader. Luke accompanies the Rebel Team to Endor to destroy the bunker, led by Han Solo, and they come across Ewoks, little teddy bear like creatures, who assist the Rebels in fighting off the Stormtroopers. Luke leaves the group to confront Vader, who turns out to be Luke's father, Anakin Skywalker. Luke is captured and turned over to Vader, and tries to convince him to turn back to the light, but fails, and Vader takes him to his master, The Emperor, who plans to corrupt Luke and take Vader's place as his apprentice.
The Rebel Fleet approaches the Death Star and they walk right into a trap, they're not only facing the Death Star, but the entire Imperial Fleet. The fleet is led by Lando Calrissian, who is piloting the Millinneum Falcon, which he used to own before Han took ownership of it.
Some people who've seen the movies before probably find it irritating that I'm telling the story word for word, but like I said I'm a die-hard Star Wars fan, so I apologize. Another fun read with additional scenes not included in the movie.
March 12, 2011
This is merely a novelization of the movie. It provides some background information to the archetypal story of the hero's journey and it's one of the ultimate tales of revolution and good versus evil. However, I recommend this only to the biggest Star Wars fans simply because its poorly written. For example nearly every time Lando comes into the scene you get a few sentences related to how he's a gambling man:
"This wasn't the right moment, he knew--but it was the right hand. All the cards were here, now--Luke, Han, Leia, Chewbacca...and old Wild Card Lando. He just didn't want Leia revealing the hand before all the bets were out. The stakes were too high."
After 5 of these you have to laugh but after 10 I found myself dumbfounded. Additionally you may come across the odd poetic line like:
"They made eye contact from light-years and a soul's breath away."
It's enough to make you want to start writing in your diary again.
"This wasn't the right moment, he knew--but it was the right hand. All the cards were here, now--Luke, Han, Leia, Chewbacca...and old Wild Card Lando. He just didn't want Leia revealing the hand before all the bets were out. The stakes were too high."
After 5 of these you have to laugh but after 10 I found myself dumbfounded. Additionally you may come across the odd poetic line like:
"They made eye contact from light-years and a soul's breath away."
It's enough to make you want to start writing in your diary again.
January 31, 2017
Komplette Rezension: http://isabellsbooks.blogspot.de/
MEINE MEINUNG
Gleicher Sprecher, andere Sprechweise
Wie auch schon bei Episode IV und V, wird auch Episode VI wieder von Han Solos deutscher Synchronstimme, Wolfgang Pampel, gesprochen. Jedoch änderte der Sprecher in diesem Hörbuch seine Sprechtaktik sehr auffällig, was mich erstmal sehr befremdet hat, da ich ihn vorher 10 Stunden lang anders erlebt hatte.
Konkret damit meine ich, dass der Sprecher ab diesem Teil das Schnaufen Darth Vaders, vor und nachdem dieser etwas sagt, mit einbaut, was er in den ersten beiden Hörbüchern nie getan hat. Ebenso vertonte er teilweise R2D2 mit Piepgeräuschen, was ebenfalls vorher nie der Fall war. Des Weiteren sprach Wolfgang Pampel andere Sprachen, wie zum Beispiel Huttisch, wenn Wesen vorkamen, die sich in diesen Sprachen unterhielten. In der vorangehenden Hörbüchern war das nie der Fall.
Nun kann das zum Teil auch an dem Autor des Drehbuchs liegen, jedoch war das plötzliche Schnaufen Darth Vaders schon auffällig und ich habe mich gefragt, warum das nun in Episode VI so gemacht wird, und vorher weggelassen wurde.
Ich stand dem Schnaufen anfangs auch sehr negativ gegenüber, da es der ansonsten wahnsinnig epischen Stimme, die Pampel Darth Vader verleiht, etwas Schwäche hinzufügte. Aber innerhalb der fast 6 Stunden gewöhnte ich mich daran.
Die Stimmenverstellung kam mir also recht lange ungewohnt und daher komisch vor, doch sobald ich mich daran gewöhnt hatte, fand ich sie eigentlich doch ganz passend für Star Wars. Vorallem da ich mich in meiner Rezension zu Episode IV beschwert hatte, dass zu wenig Stimmverstellung stattfindet.
Anfangssequenz mit Jabba: Unschöner Einstieg
Wie auch schon im Film, gefiel mir auch im Hörbuch die lange Anfangssequenz mit Jabba the Hutt gar nicht. Jabba kam extrem unangenehm, ekelhaft und abscheulich vor. Es ist natürlich Sinn des Ganzen, dass man so empfinden soll, aber trotzdem hätte ich das ganze sehr viel lieber im Schnelldurchlauf vorgespult. Nicht nur die widerwertigen Wesen, sondern auch vorallem ihre scheußlichen Taten gestalteten mir das Zuhören stellenweise wirklich sehr unangenehm.
Ich muss auch sagen, dass mir das ganze, und vorallem Jabba selbst, noch viel ekelerregender und schlimmer vorkam als im Film.
Epische Kampfszenen, Gruppen-Dynamik
Was mir jedoch sehr gut gefallen hat, war, dass die Anfangssequenz all die beliebten Charaktere wieder zusammenführt und sie so viel miteinander interagieren lässt. Diese Szenen haben mir durch alle drei STAR WARS Hörbücher bisher immer am allerbesten gefallen.
Vorallem möchte ich hierbei wieder R2D2 und C3PO erwähnen, die einfach wunderbar amüsant waren, und mich immer wieder begeistern konnten.
Am liebsten würde ich mir ein Hörbuch anhören, in dem es nur um die beiden und ihre Dynamik geht. :D Da R2D2 ja nicht spricht, kommt das ganze Witzige ja hauptsächlich durch C3POs Antworten und Kommentare rüber, welchen Wolfgang Pampel mit einer so überzeugenden Stimme spricht, dass ich immer wieder sehr positiv überrascht war.
Durch den fürchterlichen Anfang ist man als Zuhörer, genauso wie die Charaktere selbst, noch wahnsinnig viel froher darüber, wenn sie endlich von allem wegkommen.
Starker weiblicher Charakter: Prinzessin Leia
Prinzessin Leia Organa ist durch alle drei Episoden der alten Trilogie hindurch ein wahnsinnig starker, schlagkräftiger und bewundernswerter Charakter. Doch vorallem in diesem Teil hat sie mich so oft erstaunt und sprachlos gemacht. Ich habe mich so gefreut, dass sie so unfassbar einfallsreich, mutig, wichtig und stark dargestellt wird. Leia hatte so viele Szenen in Episode VI, die mich jedes Mal wieder sehr glücklich gemacht haben. In der sonst doch extrem männerdominanten STAR WARS Welt, scheint sie so extrem hell und stellt alle anderen in den Schatten.
Yodas Sterbeszene
Leider konnte mich Yoda auch in diesem Hörbuch nicht überzeugen. Stattdessen empfand ich seine Sterbeszene sogar als extrem anstrengend. Der Sprecher verstellte seine Stimme hierbei auf eine Art, die ich sehr unangenehm fand, und weshalb ich ehrlich gesagt froh war, als die Szene vorüber war.
Yoda und Obi-Wan: Logik?
Was mich wirklich sehr gestört hat, war der Umgang von Yoda und Obi-Wan mit Luke Skywalker. Es macht mich regelrecht wütend, dass die beiden Jedi-Meister Luke so viele Lügen auftischen, und ihn dann auch noch angreifen, statt ihre eigenen Fehler zuzugeben. Auch kam es mir so vor, als würden Obi-Wan und Yoda immer wieder kurz vor ihrem eigenen Ableben riesige Überraschungsbomben platzen lassen, die Lukes komplette Welt auf den Kopf stellen. Und für eine Erklärung sind sie dann nicht mehr verfügbar, oder sie regen sich über Lukes Frustration auch noch auf. Vorallem empfand ich es auch als sehr komisch, dass Luke Sachen über seine Vergangenheit erzählt werden, die laut der Neuen Trilogie einfach überhaupt nicht sein können. (zbsp, dass Leia und Luke sich an ihre Mutter erinnern können, dass Obi-Wan gemeinsam mit Luke und Leias Mutter ein Versteck für die beiden gesucht hat, dass Darth Vader nichts davon wusste, dass seine Frau schwanger war.) Vorallem das letzte Beispiel tut fast schon weh, da Anakins Wissen über die Schwangerschaft ja eigentlich der Auslöser für alles ist. Und natürlich wussten sie das noch nicht so genau, als Episode VI entstand. Doch inzwischen weiß man das ja, und das Hörbuch beruht ja auch nicht auf den Filmen, sondern auf dem dazu geschriebenen Buch, also hätte man das ja anpassen können.
Verfolgungsjagden: Nicht für Hörbuch Format geeeignet
Wie auch schon in den vorangehenden beiden STAR WARS Hörbüchern, tat ich mich auch bei diesem schwer, einer Verfolgungsjagd zu folgen. Dabei soll ja alles relativ schnell gehen. Und wenn einem das ganze nur erzählt wird, verliert man einfach schnell den Faden. Dadurch, dass man schnell den Überblick verliert, wer sich gerade wo befindet, werden solche Szenen auch schnell zäh, da man die Action nicht sieht, und es sich dadurch etwas zieht.
Endschlacht: Luke vs. Imperator, Leia und Han vs. Sturmtruppen, Rebellion vs. Imperium
Der letzte Teil des Hörbuchs hat mir wirklich unglaublich gut gefallen, und das typische STAR WARS Feeling in mir mehr als nur hervorgerufen. Es gab die oben genannten drei wichtigen Handlungsstränge, die im Grunde alle drei daraus bestehen, dass Gut gegen Böse kämpft, nur auf verschiedenen Ebenen. Dieser Szenenwechsel baute extrem viel Spannung auf, und ließ mich gar nicht mehr aufhören, dem ganzen gebannt zu lauschen.
Obwohl ich die STAR WARS Episode schon so oft als Film gesehen habe, und natürlich weiß, wie das ganze endet, konnte mich die Endschlacht doch so packen, dass ich wirklich das Gefühl der Aussichtslosigkeit der Charakter, mitfühlen konnte.
Zum Einen die Szenen zwischen Luke, Darth Vader und dem Imperator.
Die Stimme des Imperators war so unglaublich scheußlich, dass ich noch viel mehr Hass als ohnehin schon für ihn empfunden habe. Darth Vaders Gedanken empfand ich wieder als wahnsinnig interessant, da man davon ja im Film überhaupt nichts mitbekommt. Vorallem auch die inneren Konflikte von sowohl Darth Vader als auch hauptsächlich von Luke, fand ich sehr spannend und interessant. Dennoch war mir das Ende dieser Sequenz fast doch zu kurz und schnell gelöst, für den tollen und langen Aufbau den das ganze hatte. Im Film hatte ich immer das Gefühl, dass Darth Vader sehr lange, viel zu lange, schmerzhaft lange, nicht eingegriffen hat, wohingegen es beim Hörbuch sehr viel schneller ging. Dennoch hat mir die ganze Sequenz sehr gut gefallen.
Zum Anderen Han, Leia, C3PO, R2D2, Ewoks gegen die Imperialen Sturmtruppen
Auch wenn diese Sequenz sehr viel weniger an Epik zu bieten hatte, gefiel sie mir dennoch sehr gut. Der komplette Teil mit den Ewoks war toll, und wurde für mich noch sehr vertieft durch die einzelnen individuellen Geschichten der Bärchen. Die Druiden Dynamik von R2D2 und C3PO, sowie die Chemie zwischen Han und Leia, glänzten in diesen Szenen wieder extrem, und machten das ganze zu einem eher lockereren Ausgleich gegen das sehr Dunkle der Luka - Imperator Szenen.
Vorallem Han Solo konnte mich auch in diesem Hörbuch wieder sehr begeistern. Seine Gedankengänge brachten mich so oft zum Schmunzeln. Man muss ihn einfach gern haben.
Das Ende: Der Sieg
Das Ende war natürlich sehr viel unspektakulärer als im Film. Sowohl die epische Explosion des Todessterns, als auch vorallem die Musik und Feier der Ewoks haben mir sehr gefehlt. Auch empfand ich den Sieg als zu kurz erwähnt im Hörbuch. Ich hätte gerne noch ein paar wenige Minuten mehr davon gehabt.
FAZIT
Ich kann das Hörbuch STAR WARS EPISODE VI sehr empfehlen, da ich wieder sehr viel Spaß damit hatte, und bei mir eindeutig das epische STAR WARS Feeling während des Hörens aufkam und anhielt. Auch an den Sprecher Wolfgang Pampel habe ich mich inzwischen so gewöhnt, dass es schwer für mich sein wird, ihn nicht in den weiteren STAR WARS Hörbüchern zu hören.
Was mich in diesem Hörbuch vorallem gestört hat, war die unschöne Anfangssequenz, und der plötzliche Wechsel der Sprechtechnik des Sprechers. Jedoch konnte mich der letzte Teil des Hörbuchs vollkommen überzeugen, weshalb ich das ganze mit einem wunderbaren Gefühl beendet habe. Und generell bin ich nunmal einfach ein großer STAR WARS Fan und kann dieses Hörbuch anderen STAR WARS Fans daher auch nur ans Herz legen.
MEINE BEWERTUNG IN STERNEN
Ich verleihe diesem Hörbuch 4 von 5 Sternen.
MEINE MEINUNG
Gleicher Sprecher, andere Sprechweise
Wie auch schon bei Episode IV und V, wird auch Episode VI wieder von Han Solos deutscher Synchronstimme, Wolfgang Pampel, gesprochen. Jedoch änderte der Sprecher in diesem Hörbuch seine Sprechtaktik sehr auffällig, was mich erstmal sehr befremdet hat, da ich ihn vorher 10 Stunden lang anders erlebt hatte.
Konkret damit meine ich, dass der Sprecher ab diesem Teil das Schnaufen Darth Vaders, vor und nachdem dieser etwas sagt, mit einbaut, was er in den ersten beiden Hörbüchern nie getan hat. Ebenso vertonte er teilweise R2D2 mit Piepgeräuschen, was ebenfalls vorher nie der Fall war. Des Weiteren sprach Wolfgang Pampel andere Sprachen, wie zum Beispiel Huttisch, wenn Wesen vorkamen, die sich in diesen Sprachen unterhielten. In der vorangehenden Hörbüchern war das nie der Fall.
Nun kann das zum Teil auch an dem Autor des Drehbuchs liegen, jedoch war das plötzliche Schnaufen Darth Vaders schon auffällig und ich habe mich gefragt, warum das nun in Episode VI so gemacht wird, und vorher weggelassen wurde.
Ich stand dem Schnaufen anfangs auch sehr negativ gegenüber, da es der ansonsten wahnsinnig epischen Stimme, die Pampel Darth Vader verleiht, etwas Schwäche hinzufügte. Aber innerhalb der fast 6 Stunden gewöhnte ich mich daran.
Die Stimmenverstellung kam mir also recht lange ungewohnt und daher komisch vor, doch sobald ich mich daran gewöhnt hatte, fand ich sie eigentlich doch ganz passend für Star Wars. Vorallem da ich mich in meiner Rezension zu Episode IV beschwert hatte, dass zu wenig Stimmverstellung stattfindet.
Anfangssequenz mit Jabba: Unschöner Einstieg
Wie auch schon im Film, gefiel mir auch im Hörbuch die lange Anfangssequenz mit Jabba the Hutt gar nicht. Jabba kam extrem unangenehm, ekelhaft und abscheulich vor. Es ist natürlich Sinn des Ganzen, dass man so empfinden soll, aber trotzdem hätte ich das ganze sehr viel lieber im Schnelldurchlauf vorgespult. Nicht nur die widerwertigen Wesen, sondern auch vorallem ihre scheußlichen Taten gestalteten mir das Zuhören stellenweise wirklich sehr unangenehm.
Ich muss auch sagen, dass mir das ganze, und vorallem Jabba selbst, noch viel ekelerregender und schlimmer vorkam als im Film.
Epische Kampfszenen, Gruppen-Dynamik
Was mir jedoch sehr gut gefallen hat, war, dass die Anfangssequenz all die beliebten Charaktere wieder zusammenführt und sie so viel miteinander interagieren lässt. Diese Szenen haben mir durch alle drei STAR WARS Hörbücher bisher immer am allerbesten gefallen.
Vorallem möchte ich hierbei wieder R2D2 und C3PO erwähnen, die einfach wunderbar amüsant waren, und mich immer wieder begeistern konnten.
Am liebsten würde ich mir ein Hörbuch anhören, in dem es nur um die beiden und ihre Dynamik geht. :D Da R2D2 ja nicht spricht, kommt das ganze Witzige ja hauptsächlich durch C3POs Antworten und Kommentare rüber, welchen Wolfgang Pampel mit einer so überzeugenden Stimme spricht, dass ich immer wieder sehr positiv überrascht war.
Durch den fürchterlichen Anfang ist man als Zuhörer, genauso wie die Charaktere selbst, noch wahnsinnig viel froher darüber, wenn sie endlich von allem wegkommen.
Starker weiblicher Charakter: Prinzessin Leia
Prinzessin Leia Organa ist durch alle drei Episoden der alten Trilogie hindurch ein wahnsinnig starker, schlagkräftiger und bewundernswerter Charakter. Doch vorallem in diesem Teil hat sie mich so oft erstaunt und sprachlos gemacht. Ich habe mich so gefreut, dass sie so unfassbar einfallsreich, mutig, wichtig und stark dargestellt wird. Leia hatte so viele Szenen in Episode VI, die mich jedes Mal wieder sehr glücklich gemacht haben. In der sonst doch extrem männerdominanten STAR WARS Welt, scheint sie so extrem hell und stellt alle anderen in den Schatten.
Yodas Sterbeszene
Leider konnte mich Yoda auch in diesem Hörbuch nicht überzeugen. Stattdessen empfand ich seine Sterbeszene sogar als extrem anstrengend. Der Sprecher verstellte seine Stimme hierbei auf eine Art, die ich sehr unangenehm fand, und weshalb ich ehrlich gesagt froh war, als die Szene vorüber war.
Yoda und Obi-Wan: Logik?
Was mich wirklich sehr gestört hat, war der Umgang von Yoda und Obi-Wan mit Luke Skywalker. Es macht mich regelrecht wütend, dass die beiden Jedi-Meister Luke so viele Lügen auftischen, und ihn dann auch noch angreifen, statt ihre eigenen Fehler zuzugeben. Auch kam es mir so vor, als würden Obi-Wan und Yoda immer wieder kurz vor ihrem eigenen Ableben riesige Überraschungsbomben platzen lassen, die Lukes komplette Welt auf den Kopf stellen. Und für eine Erklärung sind sie dann nicht mehr verfügbar, oder sie regen sich über Lukes Frustration auch noch auf. Vorallem empfand ich es auch als sehr komisch, dass Luke Sachen über seine Vergangenheit erzählt werden, die laut der Neuen Trilogie einfach überhaupt nicht sein können. (zbsp, dass Leia und Luke sich an ihre Mutter erinnern können, dass Obi-Wan gemeinsam mit Luke und Leias Mutter ein Versteck für die beiden gesucht hat, dass Darth Vader nichts davon wusste, dass seine Frau schwanger war.) Vorallem das letzte Beispiel tut fast schon weh, da Anakins Wissen über die Schwangerschaft ja eigentlich der Auslöser für alles ist. Und natürlich wussten sie das noch nicht so genau, als Episode VI entstand. Doch inzwischen weiß man das ja, und das Hörbuch beruht ja auch nicht auf den Filmen, sondern auf dem dazu geschriebenen Buch, also hätte man das ja anpassen können.
Verfolgungsjagden: Nicht für Hörbuch Format geeeignet
Wie auch schon in den vorangehenden beiden STAR WARS Hörbüchern, tat ich mich auch bei diesem schwer, einer Verfolgungsjagd zu folgen. Dabei soll ja alles relativ schnell gehen. Und wenn einem das ganze nur erzählt wird, verliert man einfach schnell den Faden. Dadurch, dass man schnell den Überblick verliert, wer sich gerade wo befindet, werden solche Szenen auch schnell zäh, da man die Action nicht sieht, und es sich dadurch etwas zieht.
Endschlacht: Luke vs. Imperator, Leia und Han vs. Sturmtruppen, Rebellion vs. Imperium
Der letzte Teil des Hörbuchs hat mir wirklich unglaublich gut gefallen, und das typische STAR WARS Feeling in mir mehr als nur hervorgerufen. Es gab die oben genannten drei wichtigen Handlungsstränge, die im Grunde alle drei daraus bestehen, dass Gut gegen Böse kämpft, nur auf verschiedenen Ebenen. Dieser Szenenwechsel baute extrem viel Spannung auf, und ließ mich gar nicht mehr aufhören, dem ganzen gebannt zu lauschen.
Obwohl ich die STAR WARS Episode schon so oft als Film gesehen habe, und natürlich weiß, wie das ganze endet, konnte mich die Endschlacht doch so packen, dass ich wirklich das Gefühl der Aussichtslosigkeit der Charakter, mitfühlen konnte.
Zum Einen die Szenen zwischen Luke, Darth Vader und dem Imperator.
Die Stimme des Imperators war so unglaublich scheußlich, dass ich noch viel mehr Hass als ohnehin schon für ihn empfunden habe. Darth Vaders Gedanken empfand ich wieder als wahnsinnig interessant, da man davon ja im Film überhaupt nichts mitbekommt. Vorallem auch die inneren Konflikte von sowohl Darth Vader als auch hauptsächlich von Luke, fand ich sehr spannend und interessant. Dennoch war mir das Ende dieser Sequenz fast doch zu kurz und schnell gelöst, für den tollen und langen Aufbau den das ganze hatte. Im Film hatte ich immer das Gefühl, dass Darth Vader sehr lange, viel zu lange, schmerzhaft lange, nicht eingegriffen hat, wohingegen es beim Hörbuch sehr viel schneller ging. Dennoch hat mir die ganze Sequenz sehr gut gefallen.
Zum Anderen Han, Leia, C3PO, R2D2, Ewoks gegen die Imperialen Sturmtruppen
Auch wenn diese Sequenz sehr viel weniger an Epik zu bieten hatte, gefiel sie mir dennoch sehr gut. Der komplette Teil mit den Ewoks war toll, und wurde für mich noch sehr vertieft durch die einzelnen individuellen Geschichten der Bärchen. Die Druiden Dynamik von R2D2 und C3PO, sowie die Chemie zwischen Han und Leia, glänzten in diesen Szenen wieder extrem, und machten das ganze zu einem eher lockereren Ausgleich gegen das sehr Dunkle der Luka - Imperator Szenen.
Vorallem Han Solo konnte mich auch in diesem Hörbuch wieder sehr begeistern. Seine Gedankengänge brachten mich so oft zum Schmunzeln. Man muss ihn einfach gern haben.
Das Ende: Der Sieg
Das Ende war natürlich sehr viel unspektakulärer als im Film. Sowohl die epische Explosion des Todessterns, als auch vorallem die Musik und Feier der Ewoks haben mir sehr gefehlt. Auch empfand ich den Sieg als zu kurz erwähnt im Hörbuch. Ich hätte gerne noch ein paar wenige Minuten mehr davon gehabt.
FAZIT
Ich kann das Hörbuch STAR WARS EPISODE VI sehr empfehlen, da ich wieder sehr viel Spaß damit hatte, und bei mir eindeutig das epische STAR WARS Feeling während des Hörens aufkam und anhielt. Auch an den Sprecher Wolfgang Pampel habe ich mich inzwischen so gewöhnt, dass es schwer für mich sein wird, ihn nicht in den weiteren STAR WARS Hörbüchern zu hören.
Was mich in diesem Hörbuch vorallem gestört hat, war die unschöne Anfangssequenz, und der plötzliche Wechsel der Sprechtechnik des Sprechers. Jedoch konnte mich der letzte Teil des Hörbuchs vollkommen überzeugen, weshalb ich das ganze mit einem wunderbaren Gefühl beendet habe. Und generell bin ich nunmal einfach ein großer STAR WARS Fan und kann dieses Hörbuch anderen STAR WARS Fans daher auch nur ans Herz legen.
MEINE BEWERTUNG IN STERNEN
Ich verleihe diesem Hörbuch 4 von 5 Sternen.
March 19, 2019
4 ⭐️
Now THAT’s what I’m talking about! If A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back were missing details, this one hit the nail on the head. In fact, it even made things clearer concerning some following details in The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi.
One of those details is Leia and the Force. Having only ever seen the movies, I was shocked when I saw Leia perform that trick when she’s shot in space. It made no sense, for she had never explicitely felt or dealt with the Force. Reading how she connected with Luke through space and with the Endor forest, though, it’s a lot more believable that she always had affinities with the Force, but that those were never fully explored in the movies. I can easily believe she worked on it with Luke in years after the Empire’s fall and before the rise of the First Order.
I was even more deeply touched that the ending moments of Darth Vader were so close to the Anakin we know that I couldn’t help but shed a few tears. The movies glosses over the details, but the novelization pinpointed how Anakin feels perfectly. It warmed me to be able to get a glimpse of my favourite character once again.
Unfortunately, Lucas seemed to have forgotten to reread the original novels before making the prequels. Some disturbing details in Obi-Wan’s memories of Luke and Leia’s youth do not align at all with what we saw in episodes I-III; mainly that Luke and Leia never knew their mother and that Anakin did know Padme was pregnant.
Not perfect, but as close to the prequel novelizations as I could hope for, considering this was written some 20-something years ago.
Now THAT’s what I’m talking about! If A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back were missing details, this one hit the nail on the head. In fact, it even made things clearer concerning some following details in The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi.
One of those details is Leia and the Force. Having only ever seen the movies, I was shocked when I saw Leia perform that trick when she’s shot in space. It made no sense, for she had never explicitely felt or dealt with the Force. Reading how she connected with Luke through space and with the Endor forest, though, it’s a lot more believable that she always had affinities with the Force, but that those were never fully explored in the movies. I can easily believe she worked on it with Luke in years after the Empire’s fall and before the rise of the First Order.
I was even more deeply touched that the ending moments of Darth Vader were so close to the Anakin we know that I couldn’t help but shed a few tears. The movies glosses over the details, but the novelization pinpointed how Anakin feels perfectly. It warmed me to be able to get a glimpse of my favourite character once again.
Unfortunately, Lucas seemed to have forgotten to reread the original novels before making the prequels. Some disturbing details in Obi-Wan’s memories of Luke and Leia’s youth do not align at all with what we saw in episodes I-III; mainly that Luke and Leia never knew their mother and that Anakin did know Padme was pregnant.
Not perfect, but as close to the prequel novelizations as I could hope for, considering this was written some 20-something years ago.
December 28, 2018
I didn’t realize when I reread these that it would be harder to get through them than the prequel novels. I think it’s because of the writing style. None of the OT novelizations are better than the prequel ones. However, return of the Jedi is the best one out of the three.
Return of the Jedi also happens to be my favorite movie. Everything that was great about the movie is in the book, except for one little paragraph towards the end, and Luke creating his lightsaber in the beginning. Not much else to say really.
Return of the Jedi also happens to be my favorite movie. Everything that was great about the movie is in the book, except for one little paragraph towards the end, and Luke creating his lightsaber in the beginning. Not much else to say really.
December 3, 2021
As far as the novelizations go, this one was better than Episodes 4 and 5. There was some padding when it came go the character's potential inner monologues...but otherwise this was boring. It was a play by play of the movie without the emotion if that makes sense? It just felt like it was going through the paces. Leia had all these memories of her mother that after watching Episode 3 never happened...whoops. Luke grappled with Dark Side impulses a bit more than was shown in Mark Hamill's performance, and we got some cute, soft Han moments. So, the prequel novelizations were truly superior so far in retellings.
December 6, 2020
I read the version of Return of the Jedi that’s in The Star Wars Trilogy book.
Oh boy. This novelization. Where do I even start?
Don’t get me wrong, there were good parts along with the bad. It’s just… My assumption for this novelization was that I’d enjoy this as much as I did Alan Dean Foster’s A New Hope and Donald F. Glut’s The Empire Strikes Back. In fact, the prologue started off quite promising. But then, once I was in the first chapter, I was greeted by this unholy sentence:
“Poot-wEEt beDOO gung ooble DEEp!”
That made me cringe.
And, unfortunately, it doesn’t end there. Oh no. R2-D2 continues to have dialogue here and there, as does Chewbacca. And the Ewoks. And even some faceless characters on Jabba’s Barge get unreadable dialogue that makes it double pointless to have.
What made the author think that was a good idea? Why did he feel the need to insert this terrible and pointless dialogue which isn’t really dialogue? I just don’t understand why this was done. I don’t understand it. I truly don’t. I don’t see the appeal of it. If anything, the unreadable and nonsensical dialogue continued to ruin the immersion of the story for me.
Yet, as I mentioned above, there are good moments in this novelization.
I liked how it provided insight to Vader’s thoughts in regards to Luke and the Emperor. I liked the scene of Commander Jerjerrod in the end, his exchange with his aid, as it gives the reader a better picture of what’s happening on the Death Star in the end. I liked how the Death Star was close to destroying the Endor Moon. That bit, despite knowing how the movie plays out, made it more nerve-wracking and nail-biting. And I liked Vader’s inner monologue at the end. All of those, among similar instances, were very nice touches.
It was also interesting to see the differences of certain details, thanks to the Prequels. For example, at one point it’s said that Owen Lars was Obi-Wan Kenobi’s brother. Little bits and pieces like that were interesting to see.
Oh boy. This novelization. Where do I even start?
Don’t get me wrong, there were good parts along with the bad. It’s just… My assumption for this novelization was that I’d enjoy this as much as I did Alan Dean Foster’s A New Hope and Donald F. Glut’s The Empire Strikes Back. In fact, the prologue started off quite promising. But then, once I was in the first chapter, I was greeted by this unholy sentence:
“Poot-wEEt beDOO gung ooble DEEp!”
That made me cringe.
And, unfortunately, it doesn’t end there. Oh no. R2-D2 continues to have dialogue here and there, as does Chewbacca. And the Ewoks. And even some faceless characters on Jabba’s Barge get unreadable dialogue that makes it double pointless to have.
What made the author think that was a good idea? Why did he feel the need to insert this terrible and pointless dialogue which isn’t really dialogue? I just don’t understand why this was done. I don’t understand it. I truly don’t. I don’t see the appeal of it. If anything, the unreadable and nonsensical dialogue continued to ruin the immersion of the story for me.
Yet, as I mentioned above, there are good moments in this novelization.
I liked how it provided insight to Vader’s thoughts in regards to Luke and the Emperor. I liked the scene of Commander Jerjerrod in the end, his exchange with his aid, as it gives the reader a better picture of what’s happening on the Death Star in the end. I liked how the Death Star was close to destroying the Endor Moon. That bit, despite knowing how the movie plays out, made it more nerve-wracking and nail-biting. And I liked Vader’s inner monologue at the end. All of those, among similar instances, were very nice touches.
It was also interesting to see the differences of certain details, thanks to the Prequels. For example, at one point it’s said that Owen Lars was Obi-Wan Kenobi’s brother. Little bits and pieces like that were interesting to see.
January 31, 2016
Oh, you know, what I said for the other novelizations. Fine enough retelling, but doesn't add much at all. And this was another one with more action that I really care for. So, overall, these novelizations aren't that worth seeking out.
(But, yes, I will still read The Force Awakens one when my hold comes in.)
(But, yes, I will still read The Force Awakens one when my hold comes in.)
October 24, 2016
Épico. La batalla de Luke y Vader es sensacional, la muerte del emperador, la redención de Anakin y el renacimiento de los Jedis, protectores de la galaxia. Retrato fiel de la película, disfrute bastante esta lectura por ser fanático de esta saga. Espero conseguir más libros para ampliar mis conocimientos de este universo.
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