Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

And this is not a back handed way of belittling the movie; I think the negative reviews are misguided. But Terry Brooks, the author produced a work of art from the screenplay & script. His prose is smooth, engaging, colorful, & insightful, giving depth to the story. This is not Thomas Mann – after all, it’s science fiction – but I want to read more of Brooks, an author I’m not familiar with.For example, “It was quiet in the swamps as well, the perpetual twilight hushed and expectant beneath the vast canopy of limbs and vines, the surface of the mire as smooth and unbroken as glass, the reeds and rushes motionless in the windless air….” That’s what literature can do that movies cannot & it’s what I mean by giving depth.Not just atmospherics, but nuances of meaning & intent among character interactions, which cannot be conveyed by even the most gifted actors sometimes. So the book is worth reading; you’ll see more on viewing the movie a second time, too.

While Episode I is far from a great film, Terry Brooks does a terrific job putting this story into words. In comparison with the novelizations of Episodes II and III, it is not quite as strong, but that does not diminish what a joyful experience reading this book can be. It adds depth to the characters (which is much needed due to their stiff portrayals in the film). The novelization also helps put flesh on and reason onto the socio-political conflict that is central to the story (whereas the problem is convoluted at best in the movie).The book’s strongest points are the way it helps the reader get into the heads of the characters–young Anakin and Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn in particular. Episode I was ambitious in all that it tried to accomplish. Unfortunately, only so much can be achieved in the time-span of the film. The advantage of reading the story in this format is that there is much more time and page-space to work with. Brooks is able to introduce Anakin far earlier in the book, helping establish him as a main character with whom the reader should empathize. Qui-Gon receives his due in this book as well. He is firmly placed as a strong-willed Jedi who sets his own agenda, and his ideological conflict with his apprentice and the Jedi Council works to propel the drama forward.I genuinely smiled throughout the reading of this book, enjoying the story without the cynicism that is difficult to shake when watching the dated CGI. The best part – you can give the characters new voices in your head while you read and put your imagination to work as you enjoy a story that is much better as a book. You can even play Duel of the Fates and the march of the Trade Federation while you read to spice things up if you like.

It is a good book in great condition. I had no issues with the delivery. It arrived safely.Although I am disappointed with the cover; it has Jake Lloyd on it instead of Natalie Portman. Nothing with him or Anakin Skywalker, but the picture that was advertised was Queen Amidala of the Naboo. I was hoping that maybe it was reversible, but sadly it is not. I loved the Amidala picture. Padmé is one of my favorite characters and she doesn't get much attention in the books. The Jake cover looks so plain.

Many of the hundreds of reviews I've read on this book point out the flaws of the movie or express something of disappointment. The films themselves were force to squish a lot of plot-themes into a relatively short time allocation. All of the charaters have rich backgrounds, and for Lucas to pick and choose what highlights from those backgrounds he was to show in the movie was, in my opinion, a wise selection, if only for the sake of continuity and fluidity. It is not difficult to understand why Anakin was introduced so far into the movie- the story is not about him, at least not him alone. The ultimate theme is the struggle between good and evil, the balance between the light and the dark, heaven and hell- the abstract reality of the uniting of opposites- and the intimate relationship this has with the lives of the characters and the society in which their lives take place. I agree with many who say that the Star Wars saga is the myth of the technological age. I look forward to reading this novel, and the many more I have to look forward to will expand this modern myth to infinite depths. I wonder if Lucas will end up producing a follow-up trilogy to Luke's involvement?

Some additional scenes provide new insight into little Anakin, and the writing also provides the thoughts Padme, Obi-Wan and Qui-gon Jinn. Worth the read. Enjoyable. Great companion to the movie. Well written. Still don't like Jar Jar Binks unfortunately.

ottimo

Good

This was well written, though I liked the movie, I was surprised that chapter one had to do with Anakin Skywalker losing a podrace event which is mentioned later on and chapter six he mentions C-3PO and brings him along so that C-3PO can translate Jawa language, but I would advise to read Star Wars Episode 1 prequel, The Cloak Of Deception so that your notice how the Trade Federation had there tanks, battle droids and STAPS made for them. But yet again like the movie two Jedi are sent by the Senate to have negotiations with the Trade Federation while the Neimodians on board had made a deal with the Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Sidious! Who in the background wants the Queen of Naboo to make a treaty, which the Trade Federation have made a blockade on the Planet called Naboo. But after boarding the Trade Federation, Qui-Gon-Jinn and Obi-Wan-Kenobi make there way down to the surface of Naboo to rescue the Queen, but to meet a classic character called Jar Jar Binks, who shows them the underwater city called Otha Gunga. But after rescuing the Queen, they have to make a stop due to having their hyperdrive shot and leaking, so they have to stop on the Planet of the Hutt's called Tattoine where Qui-Gon-Jinn finds a young boy called Anakin Skywalker, who is nine years old in this, but a slave to the Toydarian who is called Watto, his only way out of slavery is to win the Podrace event in Mos Espa called the Boonta Eve. That's where Qui-Gon-Jinn studies the boy to be very strong in the Force. But Darth Maul, the apprentice of the Darth Sidious comes along, but mainly the movie has some good parts to it but the book has some deleted parts and some of the sentences are shorter and extended, same with the words from the characters. I had to laugh at the part where Anakin first meets Padme and after asking if she is an angel, he says "I'm going to marry you" but Padme says that he's too young for her but then in a certain part she says to him who future husband would I have then? A fair few words are left out and put into sentences more and some words are put differently, but in the end it's more about how Anakin Skywalker. Hero of the Clone Wars and a fallen Jedi to become a Sith Lord, as we know it but how it all begun as he had to leave everything behind him but what of Darth Maul and Qui-Gon-Jinn? well I'd give the book 5 stars, but the next review will be back to Jedi Quest's books on the Dangerous Games.

It compensates 100% what the film lacks. Getting a good insight of the characters' feelings regarding the development of the plot.

What an amazing novelization by Terry Brooks! This story goes from a steaming pile of poodoo to an intriguing and enthralling story. Characters develop character! Action has meaning. This is what the original movie should have been.