Star Wars: The Force Awakens (novel)
 | |
| Author | Alan Dean Foster |
|---|---|
| Audio read by | Marc Thompson |
| Language | English |
| Series | Star Wars |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Publisher | Del Rey Books |
Publication date | |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (hardcover & paperback) |
| Pages | Hardcover: 268 |
| ISBN | 978-1-101-96549-8 |
Star Wars: The Force Awakens is the novelization of the 2015 film of the same name. The author, Alan Dean Foster, also wrote Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker, the 1976 novelization of the first Star Wars film.
Development
[edit]Asked to write the novelization by Shelly Shapiro of Del Rey Books, Foster was given access to the screenplay of the film, along with stills from the film of characters and sets.[1]
Foster wanted to develop a romance between Rey and Finn, which he thought was implied in the film. He later stated, "I expected to see that developed further in Episode VIII."[2] He also expressed his dissatisfaction with the latter film, saying that it prompted him to write a treatment for Episode IX, "attempting in that storyline to explain a lot of the really silly things that happened in Episode VIII." However, he admitted that he "never expected Disney to do anything with [it]."[3][a]
Differences between the novel and the film
[edit]The novelization includes additional scenes and dialogue.[5][6] These include:
- A prologue featuring an excerpt from the "Journal of the Whills", a fictional journal first mentioned in Foster's first Star Wars novelization.
- Early in the novel, a sequence with Leia reveals the origin of main factions in the film: the Resistance, the New Republic and the First Order.
- A section revealing how Poe Dameron escapes from the crashed TIE fighter and leaves Jakku.
- A sequence where Rey and Chewbacca encounter Unkar Plutt on Takodana.
Publication history
[edit]To avoid spoilers caused by the book being released before the movie, the hardcover release was delayed until January 5, 2016. The e-book was released on December 18, 2015.[7] The book was a #1 New York Times best seller.[8]
Reception
[edit]Den of Geek said: "Stripped of its visuals and the charisma of its actors, The Force Awakens is a drier script than it was a film."[9] Kirkus Reviews wrote: "Foster keeps the prose steady if a bit workmanlike throughout, but there are a few nose dives into questionably florid prose [...] Ultimately, it’s the original story and characters from the film that make the book worth reading rather than Foster’s contributions.[10]
Notes
[edit]- ^ Amongst Foster's ideas for Episode IX were that Rey became part-droid to cure a brain disease (explaining her strength in the Force) and that at the end, "there's a big battle on Coruscant with the Emperor's clones. ... Luke is dying under a tree, and Rey comes out. And Luke's last words are 'Aunt Beru.'" ComicBookMovie.com opines that "that doesn't sound any better than what The Rise of Skywalker delivered."[4]
References
[edit]- ^ Granshaw, Lisa (January 22, 2016). "Star Wars: The Force Awakens novelization: An interview with Alan Dean Foster". Blastr. Archived from the original on March 16, 2016. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
- ^ Coffey, Kelly (December 27, 2020). "A Rey and Finn Romance? 'Star Wars' Author Says It Was Supposed to Happen". Inside the Magic. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
- ^ Campbell, Scott (December 27, 2020). "Longtime Star Wars Novelist Says The Last Jedi Is A Terrible Film". We Got This Covered. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
- ^ Wilding, Josh (December 30, 2020). "STAR WARS Novelist Alan Dean Foster Hated THE LAST JEDI; Shares His Wacky Ideas For An Alternate EPISODE IX". Comic Book Movie. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
- ^ Shepherd, Jack (January 7, 2016). "Star Wars: The Force Awakens: 16 questions the novel answers". The Independent. Archived from the original on May 24, 2022. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
- ^ Taylor, Chris (December 29, 2015). "27 Star Wars: The Force Awakens questions answered by the novel". Mashable. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
- ^ Anderton, Ethan (November 3, 2015). "Disney delays The Force Awakens novel to avoid spoilers". /Film. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
- ^ Jones, Dominic (January 14, 2016). "The Force Awakens Novelization Hits #1 on New York Times Best Sellers List". Star Wars Underworld. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
- ^ Crouse, Megan (December 23, 2015). "Star Wars: The Force Awakens Novelization Review". Den of Geek. DoG Tech LLC. Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
- ^ "STAR WARS THE FORCE AWAKENS". Kirkus Reviews. Virginia Kirkus Bookshop Service. January 20, 2016. Archived from the original on July 17, 2019. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
External links
[edit]- Star Wars: The Force Awakens on Wookieepedia, a Star Wars wiki